I have been exercising for about a year after living a sedentary life for the prior 56 years. I started with biking, added in core exercises last summer and this fall I started working with weights. People who lift weight or push hard biking sometimes talk about the "burn" they feel in their muscles. The only "burn" I have ever felt is in my calves when doing some calf raises or other specific exercises for the calf. I never feel the burn in any other muscle. My calves are the only part of my body that look muscular. I lift weights and if it is too heavy or I did so many reps that I can't do any more, nothing hurts, I just can't do anymore. Nothing burns. And the next day I don't feel any soreness at all, except for a couple of times. Once when a little muscle along my side was sore and once I actually felt my abdominal muscles the day after doing a long series of planks and some version of sit ups. Hasn't happened again. My quads are never sore even though I do squats, stair steps, and bike. When I first worked with a trainer this past fall before leaving for Texas she kept asking me if I "could feel it" in my muscles as I did x, y or z. I really don't. Except for the calves.

I am not sure that the burn or the soreness is meaningful, if something good or something to be avoided: http://www.livestrong.com/article/46...ring-exercise/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed...uscle_soreness

Should you feel your muscles when exercising? Feel sore afterwards? Thoughts? Resources?