Ask James Fitness Questions!

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by navane

Bump!

Question for James or any knowledgeable person. Because I was progressing in my fitness goals, I recently upped my workout routines to the next level. As is expected, I end up sore for 1-3 days after. My visits to the gym always consist of a combination of cardio and weightlifting. I don't split workouts to focus on upper or lower body on any given day - I employ a combination of sets to work all limbs.

I always read that people should allow their bodies to rest for 24-48 hours after a solid workout. I'm reluctant to do that as I feel like I am slacking off; yet, sometimes I'm just too sore and I'm concerned I'll injure myself.

People who have been though military, fire or police training have probably been forced to exercise everyday, sore or not. They probably weren't excused for 24-48 hours.

So, what's the deal? Should I be allowing myself to rest or should I push through it?

Thanks for any insight!

.....Kelly

I think that it's 24-48 hours for the body part in question. So, if you do shoulders one day, you should give 24-48 hours before you do another shoulder workout. Now, one of your other workouts may incorporate shoulders (like a chest workout), but you should wait the 24-48 hours before you focus on that muscle group.

I may be wrong on this, but this was always my understanding.

[CutiePie2000]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

I think that it's 24-48 hours for the body part in question. So, if you do shoulders one day, you should give 24-48 hours before you do another shoulder workout.

That's correct. You should have your training days (particularly for lifting) divided up into splits.

This is how I do mine, for example:

Monday - Shoulders & Triceps
Tuesday - Back
Wednesday - Day off from lifting, cardio ok
Thursday - Legs and Calves
Friday - Chest & Biceps
Sunday - Day off from lifting, cardio ok

The reason for the rest is this: when you are lifting and you feel that "burn", what you are actually doing is putting tiny microscopic tears into the muscle (it sounds bad, but it is actually good). However, the body needs ample time to repair those muscles, so you don't want to be working the same muscle group every day; the muscles will not have adequate time to heal and repair. I hope this helps.

navane: you didn't mention what order you are doing your workout in, but you should be lifting weights first, doing cardio second. If you do cardio first, you will use up a lot of glycogen in your muscles, and you will not have as much energy stores to draw on when lifting. With cardio, it doesn't really matter, but with weights, you don't want to hurt yourself doing resistance exercises.

P.S. Don't make Monday to be "Chest Day" for you, as you will have a hard time finding free chest equipment. This is because Mondays are "International Chest Day" for ALL MEN, EVERYWHERE, AT ALL GYMS. Just drop in to any gym on a Monday and see if I'm right!

[navane]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

I think that it's 24-48 hours for the body part in question. So, if you do shoulders one day, you should give 24-48 hours before you do another shoulder workout..

Thanks! So it sounds like my issue is that I'm not splitting the workouts to accommodate this process.

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

navane: you didn't mention what order you are doing your workout in, but you should be lifting weights first, doing cardio second.

I just read an article last night saying the same thing! Though, I've read articles saying the opposite and some saying that it doesn't matter! I do my workouts cardio first, then weights. Sometimes it has to do with what's actually open in the gym. As in, if I don't grab the cardio equipment asap, I'll not get a chance at all later. I'll try and start doing the workouts in reverse to see how that fares.

P.S. Don't make Monday to be "Chest Day" for you, as you will have a hard time finding free chest equipment. This is because Mondays are "International Chest Day" for ALL MEN, EVERYWHERE, AT ALL GYMS. Just drop in to any gym on a Monday and see if I'm right!

LOL! I'll have to check that theory tomorrow!

.....Kelly

[CutiePie2000]

Originally Posted by navane

I just read an article last night saying the same thing! Though, I've read articles saying the opposite and some saying that it doesn't matter! I do my workouts cardio first, then weights.

What magazines that says "It doesn't matter" are these articles published in? If it's Oxygen or Muscle & Fitness, those are pretty good. SELF and Shape can go right into the trash heap, unless a woman aspires for that "fat-skinny look" (i.e. thin'ish, but no tone nor definition whatsoever)

The glycogen thing that I told you is accurate, which is why you want to lift first, do cardio second.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

What magazines that says "It doesn't matter" are these articles published in? If it's Oxygen or Muscle & Fitness, those are pretty good. SELF and Shape can go right into the trash heap, unless a woman aspires for that "fat-skinny look" (i.e. thin'ish, but no tone nor definition whatsoever)

The glycogen thing that I told you is accurate, which is why you want to lift first, do cardio second.

Most places that say "it doesn't matter" are using shorthand for "the glycogen effect is real, but for the majority of casual enthusiasts its impact will pale in comparison to other, less subtle effects like 'not showing up' or 'self-limiting' - so it's more important to do whichever one you're more serious about first." Personally, I always lift first, but I can see their point.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but the effect you're referring to is less important for lower-weight "circuit"-style training that most women employ (as it is primarily based on slower/less efficient ATP replenishing) and/or can be somewhat offset with more time in between sets, right? Although since navane is going to the "next level" these may well be completely obviated.

[CutiePie2000]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Most places that say "it doesn't matter" are using shorthand for "the glycogen effect is real, but for the majority of casual enthusiasts its impact will pale in comparison to other, less subtle effects like 'not showing up' or 'self-limiting' - so it's more important to do whichever one you're more serious about first." Personally, I always lift first, but I can see their point.

Yeah, for the "recreational exerciser", it probably doesn't matter, but I've competed in Figure so I take it a bit seriously and hard-core. That is all.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

Yeah, for the "recreational exerciser", it probably doesn't matter, but I've competed in Figure so I take it a bit seriously and hard-core. That is all.

Forgive my ignorance, but what's Figure? Figure skating?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

Yeah, for the "recreational exerciser", it probably doesn't matter, but I've competed in Figure so I take it a bit seriously and hard-core. That is all.

Which makes perfect sense. And I'm now frightened of you.

[navane]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

What magazines that says "It doesn't matter" are these articles published in?

Military and firefighting fitness articles.

If it's Oxygen or Muscle & Fitness, those are pretty good.

I guess I selected correctly.

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but the effect you're referring to is less important for lower-weight "circuit"-style training that most women employ (as it is primarily based on slower/less efficient ATP replenishing) and/or can be somewhat offset with more time in between sets, right? Although since navane is going to the "next level" these may well be completely obviated.

Hrm...I'm not even sure what is considered lower or higher weight for women. For example, among many things, I use 15lb barbells for chest press (more if on the machine), 40lb seated row and 60lb lat pull down. I do 2 sets of 16 reps along with cardio, crunches, stretching, etc, etc. I often see women in there with the 5lb weights and I wonder what it's accomplishing.....though, I don't know if 15lbs is really anything to brag about either.

.....Kelly

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by navane

Hrm...I'm not even sure what is considered lower or higher weight for women. For example, among many things, I use 15lb barbells for chest press (more if on the machine), 40lb seated row and 60lb lat pull down. I do 2 sets of 16 reps along with cardio, crunches, stretching, etc, etc. I often see women in there with the 5lb weights and I wonder what it's accomplishing.....though, I don't know if 15lbs is really anything to brag about either.

.....Kelly

With the amount of reps you're doing, I would consider those lower weights.

As far as the amount of weight people are using - for some people, if that's the only way they can use correct form and pace in lifting (i.e. not bouncing the weights up and down like a mad person), then that's fine. If, however, they're just bouncing the weights all around, and there's no resistance or effort, then they probably should be trying slightly heavier weights.

Then again, it all depends on how you feel (or, if you're working with a licensed, experienced personal trainer, what they think you should be doing).

[AGDee]

And it depends on your goals. A very good friend of mine who is orthopedic surgeon suggested, since I am doing a high protein/low carb thing and need to increase my metabolism that I should use the highest weights I can and lift to failure, even if it's only 8 reps. By "lift to failure", he means do reps until until you can't do them anymore, your muscles are incapable of doing one more. He said it's a quick way to build muscle fast and increase your metabolism. His thoughts were that if you're doing as many as 30 reps of something, you're not using enough weight. By doing it this way, you are creating microscopic tears in the muscle. You release Growth Hormone to repair those tears and, that greatly increases your metabolism. I have used this method over a period of time twice now and it seems to be what works best for me. You cannot do weights like that every day. In fact, he said I absolutely have to wait at least 48 hours between weight workouts to do it this way.

[ZTAngel]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

P.S. Don't make Monday to be "Chest Day" for you, as you will have a hard time finding free chest equipment. This is because Mondays are "International Chest Day" for ALL MEN, EVERYWHERE, AT ALL GYMS. Just drop in to any gym on a Monday and see if I'm right!

I find Mondays in general to be "International Everybody Go to the Gym Day." It's like people were bad over the weekend....ate and drank too much and didn't work out so they make up for it on Monday. I make Mondays my day off from the gym because it's way too crowded there. I spend the majority of my time just waiting for equipment or weights.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by ZTAngel

I find Mondays in general to be "International Everybody Go to the Gym Day." It's like people were bad over the weekend....ate and drank too much and didn't work out so they make up for it on Monday. I make Mondays my day off from the gym because it's way too crowded there. I spend the majority of my time just waiting for equipment or weights.

Absolutely - there are always more people in my gym on Mondays than any other day. It's not just the chest equipment that's taken up - every cardio and ab machine is occupied as well.

It's kind of the same thing as the gym being packed in January, after people have made their New Year's resolutions.