Timely thread. I'm attending a lifetime fitness class through the community college. The orientation given by the instructor was definitely NOT tailored to the 45 and over set. So I found his encouragement to do 3 sets of 25 reps on an inclined sit up board a little over the top.

But this is what I did. I did two sets of 12 repetitions on all the muscles that I know need work (I didn't do any quads, for instance, because I know my quads are strong and my hams are weak). I used the weight I thought I could lift for all the reps, and I was able to lift it and I didn't get to muscle failure. I was not sore at all the next day.

So the next work out 48 hours later, I decided to see what my threshold is for soreness, and I upped all the weights just by one increment. Did the same muscles, same sets same reps. I didn't reach muscle failure, but had trouble completing the sets on SOME muscles.

I am sore as hell in my upper body, shoulders, biceps. I go again in the morning.

If I'm going to lift more weight, to really tax my muscles, I'm going to need more than 48 hours to recover in between! Or should I just go back down so I won't be sore?

My goal for fitness is to never do anything so intense that I'm hurt or hate it, so I will never have a reason to skip it. But why bother if too little weight is not helping?

Any advice?

Karen