Levels of Soreness

Tuesday during my session with training session with Herman, he kept telling me I was going to be sore. I did 10 rounds of different upper body exercises because of my knee injury. I assumed he was right and fully expected to wake up feeling extremely sore. Later that evening, when I expected said soreness to start creeping in and it didn't...I thought, "What if I wake up and I'm not sore? Do I dare tell Herman?" I suck at lying so if he were to ask me flat out...well there goes the idea of not telling him. He already knows this about me, ask me a question - you'll get the right answer. :)

So why would I NOT want to tell him? Umm...because I assume it means he's gonna make me work harder! However, I'm starting to wonder myself if maybe I do need to work harder? I don't know. I know I'm not burning as many calories as I used to. I do not know if that is lack of effort or if it is due to improved strength and it is just not taking as much work from me - does that make sense?

Yet, it does make me a bit nervous to say, "Hey Herman, still not sore." No idea what kinda trouble that could get me into. At the same time however, I know that whatever changes are made would be for my benefit. If you exercise and you feel nothing after...can you really expect a change in your body? I don't think so. I mean, I did want to get to the point to where I didn't feel like I was dying with soreness - accomplished - but I still think there should always be some level of soreness.

Level 1: OMG!!! So stinking sore. Hurts to sit down, stand up, climb stairs, laugh, cough and takes a couple days to recover.

Level 2: The perfect soreness, just enough that you know you worked out hard and it makes you feel good. Sore enough that you keep yourself moving to push through it and are good to go again the next day.

Level 3: Leaves you questioning, did I work hard enough? I've a slight soreness here and there, but it's not really noticeable until I go to workout again and then I'm reminded, "oh yeah, I'm a little sore."

I tend to experience Level 1, with leg workouts...I can almost guarantee it, if it involves lunges. Once in awhile I will experience it with abs. Level 2 is my favorite! It really makes me feel good because I know I worked hard. It's a funny thing to wake up, stretch, feel that soreness and smile. Good thing most people don't watch me wake up. :) Level 3 does just as I said - leaves you wondering if you're doing something wrong or not enough.

Level 3 is where I would say I've been this week. Tuesday - I worked hard, my arms were about to give out on me - as a matter of fact my last push-up had me flat out on the floor. The arms were dead. I really expected a lot of soreness. So Wednesday when I got up and was only slightly sore, I thought, "What?! You've got to be kidding me!" Then Thursday when Herman asked...well, yep I answered.

He didn't say much, but he did introduce me to this:

 

This was a learning experience for me as I'd never "hit the bag" before. When he asked me about hitting it I thought, do I answer this honestly or pretend I've never thought about it? Of course, true to form I was honest, but I didn't go to far into detail with it. Yes, I've thought about it. Yes, I think I could really get into it, really enjoy it...and yes, there is a but...

 

September 2011, when I started working out on my own at home I was doing the Jillian Michaels

30-Day-Shred DVD. One of the exercises she has you do is, squat and (punch) box it out. This was an emotional time for me. I'm not 100% sure why either. My husband was deployed and would be for 6 months. I'd spent the summer at home in the states with family. I was miserable with myself and determined to get ME taken care of.

 

So here I was one day, 'boxing it out' for all I was worth and picturing this blob of fat that I wanted to get rid of as my punching bag. My quads were on fire from squatting but I refused to move until the time was up. Finally, when it was time to move on to the next exercise I realized it was not sweat dripping down my face...I was crying.

 

Now, why was I crying? To this day I can not answer that, but every time I did that particular exercise and really, I mean really got in the zone  - the tears would fall. It was like some kind of magical emotional release. So did I want to try the punching bag at the gym? DUH! I was just afraid of one thing...what if the water works start falling! How the hell was I going to explain that! Thankfully, that did not happen, but I did feel as if I held myself back from really getting into it because of it. The last thing I want to do is lose it in front of my trainer!

 

I am not a 'crier'. I generally do not cry much - when I do it's over something big - not a movie. I also, highly, highly dislike crying in front of other people. It has taken me a long, long time to come to terms with the fact that crying is in fact NOT a weakness, but yet it is still something I'd rather not do or keep private. Can't explain that.

 

I thought it was going to happen with the last exercise he had me doing on Thursday. My forearms were burning and I didn't think I could do one more set of curls with that bar and I probably would have broke down or stopped if he hadn't talked me through it. I can't even tell you what he said, but it got me through the last set and for that I'm thankful. I felt like I pushed past some invisible barrier.

 

I had a strange feeling that, if it hadn't been time from me to run out the door, grab my son and get to the next activity, I could have continued working out. My arms might have fallen off, but I don't know I just felt like I had discovered just a 'little bit' more within me. It was almost as if we were just getting started. Strange.

 

Have you ever experienced this phenomena?

 

What about doing an exercise that causes the water works to flow for some unknown reason? Is there some hidden emotional barrier I need to break through that causes this? Where the hell does my mind go when it gets that focused?!

 

What about soreness? I'm still trying to figure out why lately I'm not near as sore as I think I should be...I'm not complaining, but I do not want to be letting myself down either. Know what I mean?

 

My arms are feeling pretty darn hot this week though, how bout yours? :)