Working Out: No Pain = No Gain?

[FacelessInLA]

Background: I've been working out 5 days a week for about a month. My routine is 35 mins cardio (treadmill or eliptical), followed by 30 mins of weights (alternating muscle groups every other day), and ending with abs w/ weights on the mat. Each week, I add 5 lbs to the weights.

When I first started working out, I would wake up sore the next morning. Now, even w/ the increase in weight, I don't feel anything. Does this mean that I'm doing something wrong or not getting a workout? No pain = no gain?

[Morgan81]

Not necessarily pain, but strain. It should be a challenge while your working out, if you're always pushing yourself there and you'll make progress. If what you’re talking about is pain hours after that you're not feeling, congratulations, you're in good shape. :)

[MetFanL]

As Morgan said, you'll feel strain when you workout -- meaning, by like your 8th rep, it should be hard to finish the set. However, ater you've been working out a while, you shouldn't be sore the next day anymore. Maybe still a little fatigued or tight in the area that you worked, but not sore.

[jdt141]

You can fix this by taking a week off and watching TV. Then, when you go back, you will be sore.

You might need a bit of a changeup to your routine as well... try a trainer?

[lostinjersey]

Background: I've been working out 5 days a week for about a month. My routine is 35 mins cardio (treadmill or eliptical), followed by 30 mins of weights (alternating muscle groups every other day), and ending with abs w/ weights on the mat. Each week, I add 5 lbs to the weights.

When I first started working out, I would wake up sore the next morning. Now, even w/ the increase in weight, I don't feel anything. Does this mean that I'm doing something wrong or not getting a workout? No pain = no gain?

Sounds like you're getting in shape. Try increasing more weight. Also try different machines... if you usally do treadmill, try stationary bike. Start doing lifts you dont usually do.. bust out some pull-ups just for the hell of it.. do an extra set of abs.

[and1grad]

Change up your routine. Variety IS the spice of life.

[Mathew]

Haha, it may be hard to believe, but I actually have opinions on this subject as well.

I think you've already gotten some good suggestions, so I won't go into a mile long typing jag.

Breaking down muscle fiber+proper recuperation=muscular hypertrohy.

Broken down muscle fiber equates to the sore feeling you were once getting.
Muscle fiber that is conditioned to what you are currently doing is not feeling sore.
Ergo, it is very possible that your muscular hypertrophy may be stalling as well.

In order to keep getting bigger & stronger, one way or another you need to increase the resistance.
If, for example, part of your workout looks like this:
flat bench=225x10 reps x 3 sets
there are 3 basic ways to increase the resistance.
1)Add another set (4 sets)
2)Add another rep (11 reps)
or
3)Add a pair of 2&1/2 lb plates (230).

Or something way more drastic along any of those lines.
add a substantial amount of weight & sets while dropping reps: go to 250 for 5 sets of 5 for examples.

Again, I'm just pulling arbitrary numbers out of my ass to make a point, you will have to experiment for yourself, depedant upon what level you are at--either higher or lower.

It has already been astutely noted that changing routines might help. If you are getting stale on flat bench barbells, you could try incline dumbells.

You mentioned you were working a 5 & 2 routine.
Again, for most mortals, I think that is too much. Those 5 & 6 day splits got popular when we all thought weider's boys who were writing those articles had our genetics & were only popping multi-vitamins.
This next may sound pretty radical, but about 15 years ago I switched from mega-day weeks to a 3-day week. M, W, F, with adifferent core lift each day. (Ie: squat, BP, DL). I was as skeptical about doing that as you probably are about hearing me suggest it, but it was incredible. I was rested when I hit the gym on that schedule, & not only that & perhaps just as importantly, on a 3 day split, I was HUNGRY for the weight. Consequently, all my lifts went up drastically & I got stronger AND bigger.

Anyhow, I said I was done with the typing jags; there is no right or wrong in the lifting game, play with different things & do what works.

Good luck,
Mat