Muscle ache,side effects of sups & reps

[Dusty]

Guys
I am new to this only been training for around a month now.
Couple of questions:-

1. When i first started training I would always get a good ache to my muscles the day after & 2 days after training. Even thou I have stepped up my weights I now only get a slight ache. Is this ok or normal? I can hardly feel my pecs ache at all.

2. Since training I have developed a sore throat on one side of my throat (my toncils are enlarged on that side) I sneeze a bit in the morning but dont feel ill like a cold or anything. I am taking cee, whey protein, bcaa, omega 3 & pulse. I usually clear a sore throat in a couple of days but this has been 2 weeks now. I have always been fine with dairy but I am drinking more milk now than I did before in my oats & a shake before bed. Any idea's?

3. Very confused regarding reps. There seems to be so many options I cant settle into any routine.
I am doings 4 sets for large muscles & 3 sets for small
I am doing between 8-10 reps for each set & not pyramiding my weights between sets. On my first sets I dont go to failure maybe one short. On the last set I plan to go failure at around 6-8 reps.
Is this ok or not. I find this much easier to keep a track of what weights i am lifting & if i can still do 8-10 reps in the last set I know i need to up it next session.
Nevertheless I am reaching my full potential growth wise doing this?
I am working a 4 day split
chest & biceps, legs, shoulders & triceps, back & traps.

Thanks

[MikeK]

The ache you were experiencing was probably DOMS, this goes away after your muscles get used to exercise.

[Curt]

the aching you had would be your a new trainer...always when you hav'nt lifted weights for a long time this will happen,or if you simply havnt done them before. this is normal, but after another 4 weeks i would mix your routine up a little,also whey, bcaas play a big role in repairing your body and the aches and pains are not a sign of growth.-a little ache is good but immense pain is not good.

the sore throat could be due to the milk,try not having it for a week and see if it goes away,if that fails,try not using pulse for a little while.

as for reps:
big muscles 4 sets of 8-10 is fine and 3sets of 8-10 is fine for smaller muscles.
you dont have to pyramid your weights,although you can.

if you were going to, then you could do say first set 10 reps,2 short of failure,then 8 reps 1 short of failure,then 7 reps 7th being failure..& the same for the 4th failing on the 6th maybe.

OR

if you keep the same weight, and you did 4 sets/3sets: the first set should be easyish, but on the last 2 reps you should feel it, the second set the same but a little harder,then the last 2 sets it should be a struggle to get 10 sometimes making 8 reps..

failure on everything is not good for growth mind...so be careful

if you can get your 4 sets and still get 8 out of each then up the weight on the last 2 sets, eg: bench press example would be:50kgx10,50kgx8,52.5kgx8,55kgx6(failure)

a good idea is to keep a track of measurements,then you can compare to see wether you have grown, and how much.

good luck the split looks good, shoulders and tris are good and legs on there own is a good idea!

[Dusty]

Thanks to you both

[Curt]

no problem mate pleased to help

[FIRESTAR]

DOMS is a great thing, it tells you your body didnt like it and is now going through a reinforcing process - so next time it will be better equipped. Its not so good for me because the day after I squat I get severe DOMS, and have to walk up and down 4 flights of stairs to get to lessons and have to walk about a mile to get back and forth from school.

[dope540]

hey dusty,

im using the same training split. its working for me so far. all i need to do is change exercises to mix things up.

hahaha firestar, i get that. mad DOMS after doing zercher and SLDL. it requires a military like operation to navigate stairs and a whole JCB team to get me outta bed.lolol

[MikeK]

Quote

DOMS is a great thing, it tells you your body didnt like it and is now going through a reinforcing process - so next time it will be better equipped. Its not so good for me because the day after I squat I get severe DOMS, and have to walk up and down 4 flights of stairs to get to lessons and have to walk about a mile to get back and forth from school.

Gutted! It'll go away soon, but why not lower the volume/intensity until your legs are more equipped to deal with the exercise?

[Curt]

Quote

Gutted! It'll go away soon, but why not lower the volume/intensity until your legs are more equipped to deal with the exercise?

depending how bad DOMS are doesnt mean how much good work you have done.....

[yazsas]

Isn't it funny that you rarely experience DOMS in the biceps or shoulders or the triceps!