Building a stronger chest..?

Question

well during my work out some times my right arm starts hurting after a while is it normal?

-also are muscles supposed to ache after workout? is it good?

&& last; is ok to push your self real hard to finish that last rep even if you feel like your arms are gunna burst?

i do 3 sets of 90 push ups with about 10min rest time in between each set, im trying to build a stronger chest, any suggestions on wat i should be doing?

Answer 1

When I workout, I force myself to finish the rep count, and if you've been to a gym, so do many other people.

Forcing yourself may result in hurting(pain) and/or yelling.

No pain, no gain.

That's determination.

Answer 2

read here, but DO NOT POST.

http://www.armyranger.com/bb/viewforum.p...

Answer 3

If your musles are feeling worked during the exercise then you are doing it right.

The next day if the pain is o bad you cant move or something then maybe you went alittle overboard the it all.

TRy stretching before and after, that helps.

Answer 4

I am sure you have heard the term no pain, no gain. Its as simple as that. The more pain you are willing to endure the more benefit you will get from your work outs. Muscles can be very elastic. When working out, like lifting weights, they bulge. This sudden bulge and blood flow cause the pain you felt, but system soon gets used to this. Especially if you dont give up!

Answer 5

Consider talking to a personal trainer, who can access more information than you've provided us (he/she will ask about what exercises you do besides push ups, how often you exercise a week, what your diet & lifestyle is like, how long you've had this routine, access to weights/machines/etc.).

In reply to your questions & to some other answers posted so far:

1) If one arm hurts more than the other, consider your form & the relative strength of each side.  Sometimes one arm might feel more sore if it's doing more work (to compensate for the weaker arm, for example); sometimes one arm might feel more sore because it is the weaker arm.

1) & 2) Try to be specific about your sensations- where in your arm does it hurt, & how does it hurt?  Is it a tingling/burning sensation, a pinching feeling, a feeling of getting "shocked" (due to nerve impingement), or soreness?  Each sensation may indicate something different, such as good technique vs. bad technique, compression of a nerve, etc.  The majority of your soreness should be in your chest, not your arms.

2b) Muscles generally ache after a workout of a certain intensity, than gradually adapt to it by experiencing less soreness after time, requiring greater intensity to experience the same level of soreness.  Quality sleep can decrease the amount & duration of soreness.  You should be careful not to workout while you're sore- this may slow, stop, or reverse your progress.

3) Training to fatigue can be a good strategy in certain situations.  If you can perform the last rep in good form, do it.  (Also, if you lift weights, use a spotter for chest exercises taken to the point of fatigue.)  If you can't perform another rep in good form, don't- it can be dangerous & an improper motion cheats you of strength (& size) increases.  It's easier to gain strength in good health than to rehabilitate an injury.

4) Take no more or less time to rest than it takes for you to take a breath & sip some water.

Suggestions:

If you like calisthenics, you can change your routine slightly.  You can widen your arms to exercise the outer part of the chest, & narrow your arms to target the inside area of the chest.  You can also change the number of reps you do according to how long each rep takes, doing fewer reps for slower push ups, & more reps for faster ones.

If you have access to free weights, they will probably build your chest the most efficiently, increasing your strength & size fast.  Use free weights which you can best maneuver.  I like using dumbbells because they are easier on my joints & allow greater range of motion. Focus more on what stimulates your chest the most, not on the number of the weight.  Remember that most guys in the gym stay the same size due to a) lack of consistency b) bad form & c) bad lifestyle/diet.

If you have access to weights, consider squats/leg presses.  These exercises can stimulate a large increase in testosterone, causing an overall increase in strength.  Your chest will benefit by extension.