Addicted to the Burn

I started serious weight training about three to four weeks ago. I'm loving the results, and am getting stronger in the process...but...

I don't get muscle ache the day after...anymore. I liked the ache, because it was a kind of confirmation that I worked that area hard enough.

So my question is: Does muscle ache/fitigue measure how well you did the previous day? Or am I not working hard enough?

As you get more accomplished at lifting, you just don't get sore anymore. Well, most people anyway. If you're lifting to failure, you're working hard enough I'd say-with or without soreness the next day

Pain is a terrible measure of progress. The only thing that counts is if you did better than last time - lifted more weights, more reps, or did the same work in less time.

 The idea is to keep striving to beat your own performance the last time you were in the gym. And as long as you're improving in a fitness dimension you want - strength, speed, endurance, explosiveness, balance, coordination, you're doing good. Somtimes you can improve in everything at once, sometimes you need to prioritize your training - either way, as long as you're doing better than last time you've progressed the way that counts.

 (I fell off my stability ball and hurt my leg doing the pushup/pike combo from Real Fast Fat Loss this week. My foot hurts like "##¤"#!! and it sure isn't a measure of me progressing in anything :)

Hah. I guess I'm a bit screwed up in the head then ;-)

Good to know though. That definitely answered my questions. I am progressing, and working to the point where there's no way I can pick up that weight one more time.

Haha, and Melkor, those stability balls are tricky. They've sent me on my bum more than once. And, what's even better, is the first time I said "This is too easy" and then suddenly I got a face full of linoleum.

Got a big ego? Try a few exercises on the balance ball. It'll bring you right back to where you should be. Or, at least, closer.

I like feeling the burn as well and sometimes wonder if I am getting a bit slacked in my workouts but then there are days when I don't think I did much and the next day I can barely walk.