I have always heard that after a good workout it is good to be sore. It shows that muscle is growing. I just wanted to make sure that was true or should I take some of the weight off so I'm not so sore after a workout? If it is true that it is just growing muscle, is there anything I can do durring the rest time that will help maxamize the growth of muscle?

I have always heard that after a good workout it is good to be sore. It shows that muscle is growing. I just wanted to make sure that was true or should I take some of the weight off so I'm not so sore after a workout? If it is true that it is just growing muscle, is there anything I can do durring the rest time that will help maxamize the growth of muscle?

Delayed onset muscle soreness (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_onset_muscle_soreness) is pretty normal. How sore you get seems to depend largely on genetics (some people get really sore, some never sore). How hard you push yourself will also affect how sore you get. In any event, DOMS isn't a bad sign. You don't need to lighten up your workouts in an attempt to avoid it. You may get less sore after your body becomes acclimated to heavy lifting.

For your rest time, the most important thing is to just get enough rest. And make sure you get plenty of protein.

1) Don't take weight off just to avoid being sore. If you can lift the weight with acceptable form, you don't need to try to lift less.
2) Soreness just means you are sore, not that you are necessarily growing muscle.

I find that I rarely get sore except for major changes to training style. Day to day, week to week, I'm not very sore these days compared to when starting out. I think after awhile, you'll build up a work capacity that will reduce or eliminate soreness.

I still make progress in strength even when I'm not sore.

Thanks for all the information. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't over working myself and that all I was doing was safe.

Thanks for all the information. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't over working myself and that all I was doing was safe.

A better determination could be made here by letting us know what you're doing. Give us the layout of your training with details.

Level of soreness definitely isn't capable of answering this by itself.

Almost everday I run for atleast half an hour. All exercises I do are 3 sets of 8. Tuesday and Fridays I do Leg extensions with 35 pounds, leg cruls 35 pounds, squats 45 pounds, calf raises 60 pounds, dumbell curls with 15 pound dumbells, front DB lifts with 15 pound DB, side DB lift with 15 pounds DB, and over the top DB lifts with 15 pound DB. Wednesday and Saturday I do bench press 30 pounds, incline press 25 pounds, decline press 25 pounds, upright row with a 45 pound bar, bent over row with a 45 bar, DB kick backs with 15 pound DB, DB press with 15 pound DB, French press with 15 pound DB, and then as many pull ups as i can do.

I have always heard that after a good workout it is good to be sore. It shows that muscle is growing. I just wanted to make sure that was true

Soreness doesn't really mean anything. Muscle can grow plenty without soreness. So no, it's not true.