Questions regarding soreness and intensity

Hello everyone

I've been working out for about 10 weeks doing a 3 day split.
Here is my workout:
M - Chest and Back
W - Legs
F - Arms and Shoulders
*each exercise 4 sets of 15 reps

I have two Questions:

1. Should I still be experiencing soreness on the day following my
workout after 10 weeks? It's mostly on the biceps and chest and it goes
away, but returns with each workout. Is this good or bad?

2. Am I working out too hard if I have to stop at the tenth rep of a 15
rep set for 10-20 seconds in order to complete the set and I am
struggling to finish and sweating after each exercise? Should I be
completing each set without stopping? My goal is to get big, but I want
strength and endurance too.

Thanks!
NH

"Ned" <nedhart DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote
>
> I've been working out for about 10 weeks doing a 3 day split.
> Here is my workout:
> M - Chest and Back
> W - Legs
> F - Arms and Shoulders
> *each exercise 4 sets of 15 reps
>
> I have two Questions:
>
> 1. Should I still be experiencing soreness on the day following my
> workout after 10 weeks? It's mostly on the biceps and chest and it goes
> away, but returns with each workout. Is this good or bad?

It isn't particularly bad, but IMHO, it shouldn't be happening either. If
I've had a layoff and come back to lifting, I'll be sore after the first
workout of a particular muscle group, but only after the first one;
subsequent workouts don't make me sore (usually).

I suspect you are doing too many reps...further evidence: your next
question.

>
> 2. Am I working out too hard if I have to stop at the tenth rep of a 15
> rep set for 10-20 seconds in order to complete the set and I am
> struggling to finish and sweating after each exercise? Should I be
> completing each set without stopping? My goal is to get big, but I want
> strength and endurance too.
>

Yes. If you have to rest mid-set, your weight is too high. It's not really
a set. Your working weight should be that at which you can just finish
doing the entire set - struggling and sweating is fine. Either drop the
weight or drop the reps. If you hunted you could find lots and lots and
lots of threads doing lower rep sets. You don't need biceps endurance
(unless you are a professional speed quaffer or something), so high reps
there won't do you much good. My recommendation, do lower rep sets with a
higher weight. Get magnetic plates if you want to make smaller step jumps
in your weight increases.


Selene
never does biceps curls



--
....make IT go away...to email me, that is

Don't top post in this NG - it's a tough crowd and you don't want to annoy
them. --Tim Williams