when to push and when to rest

[keli400]

After doing the muscle endurance (I hope that's the name) workout, I have a little doms as a gift from doing the workout. Glad Cathe is so generous, anyway...I was wondering, how long do you all rest before doing weights again. Like should I jump right in and do the workout again with the same weight as before, do you go lighter or do you wait until your muscles hurt less. I try to alternate my cardio days with my weight days, but I'm not sure if I will be able to lift the weight unless maybe ambesol works on muscles as well as teeth--just kidding. I'm mostly curious about whether working out even when you are sore will help you get stronger or will it simply increase the chance for injury?

Any replies, greatly appreciated.

 

[robyn6002]

ME is I think the hardest workout for me too.

I usually take a day off after ME... That's just what works for me. I've found the rest day REALLY gives me better results and I come back stronger. I tend to go lighter on ME especially the biceps that go on FOREVER.

How long have you been doing Cathe?

 

[keli400]

Oh boy. I have been doing Cathe videos since 1998! My first one was "Step Works." I really liked her choreography so then I started purchasing her other step videos, and that led me to trying her kickboxing, which I also liked. So...basically I am hooked. I would have to say that the Imax workouts have been my absolute favorites, but I really like this ME workout, too. I knew it was going to be hard, but I wasn't prepared for the pushups and the abs. Holy cow! I was actually swearing at her while doing some of them, sorry Cathe!

 

[martijean1]

I think we have ALL sworn at Cathe at some point!!!

I would have to say the general rule is 48 hours rest between weight workouts...Not to say you can't workout with weights 2 days in a row, just not the same bodypart...Hopefully that makes sense? Now I've heard that abs don't need the rest time, but I do longer, more intense ab workouts only 2 or 3x's a week, with at least a full day in between...

MJ

 

[2121]

I am glad you asked this question, I am wondering the same thing. I started a slow and heavy rotation and had to modify it because of unexpected DOMS. I say if you feel really sore all over, take a day off and on your day back start with cardio, so you actually have 2 rest days from weights. Also, I really overdid it last week and ended up sore from head to toe. I am going to try a 3 day on one day off 4 day on 1 day off rotation, which is longer than a week, but I think it will help me with rest days between Slow and Heavy tapes. Sorry this is so long. Melissa

 

[keli400]

Hmmm...that is an interesting idea. I worked out yesterday by doing step and a few exercises for the biceps, triceps, deltoids and felt fine while doing it, but later felt very tired. I basically wanted to become one with the sofa. Today, I am going to try a jog and then maybe, just maybe give the ME a whirl. I am hoping that by typing this, it makes me do it.

 

[kathryn]

DOMS is a sign that your body is still repairing. And that repair will lead to growth (size and/or muscular strength). If you work a muscle that is still repairing, you might not get as much of a benefit as if you let it rest (I have had the most benefit from strenth training when doing a P90X or GS three-day rotation, with each body part worked directly only ONCE a week (though worked more often than that as a synergist--or helping--muscle). That's why I prefer split routines. I can work one part of my body (upper) while the other part (lower) is still getting rest.

IMO, you CAN work the same muscle group two days in a row, but it's kind of a waste of time, because you are only slowing the growth/strength process by not allowing enough recovery time.

But it depends on your goals: if you absolutely want to DIScourage growth, then working the same body part more often (almost every day) will help with that goal (it's called "Freestyle" training by some, and usually associated with lower body work for women, since that's where we tend to accumulate our fat stores).

FYI: If you have to go lighter on the same workout, that's often a sign that you haven't given that muscle enough recovery time (the same applies to multiple sets within the same workout).