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Ask A Male Trainer, Men's Fitness 3

Should my muscles feel like they are burning during exercise?

By Paul · On March 21, 2013

Yes!

Let me explain exactly what causes muscle burn during exercise and you will get a better understanding why this is a good thing. As you perform exercise (for example weight training) the body will be utilizing oxygen (aerobic) to drive the muscles to perform. Eventually, if you continue to push the muscles your body will finally go anaerobic and this is a state your muscles can only tolerate for so long. A by-product of operating your muscles in this anaerobic state is lactic acid and this buildup is part of the system that causes muscles to burn during rigorous training sessions.

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If you are pushing your muscles to the point where the burn (build-up) of lactic acid is present then this can be a sure sign you are pushing your body and going beyond your comfort zone which is required if you want to make real gains. Often the build-up of lactic acid is also referred to as muscular failure. Muscular failure occurs when regardless of how much harder you push your muscles they basically cease to function and you have to call it quits until they can relax for a few seconds or minutes. The cause of muscular failure during exercise comes from a large build-up of lactic acid that basically neutralizes your muscles and prevents any further contractions from occurring.

If you are training your muscles to muscular failure then you are definitely moving in the right direction and I applaud you. Continue to train hard and remember being able to push through the initial onset of muscular failure (initial lactic acid build-up) is what separates the good physiques from the great ones. Being able to push past your previous boundaries and limitations is what is going to force your body to adapt and improve to new heights. Eventually as you continue to push your muscles they will fail but the longer you can hold on and continue to train the more improvements you will make in the long run.

Paul can be contacted by email at [email protected].  www.gilltraining.com

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Paul

With over 20 years of weight training and conditioning experience, Paul Gill is a top personal trainer in Toronto, Ontario. A certified nutritionist and successful bodybuilder, Paul's professional and personal goal is to help you improve your well-being through optimum health and fitness. Paul can be contacted by email at [email protected] gilltraining.com

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3 Comments

  • FaFa says: September 14, 2013 at 1:42 am

    This article is just wrong. The lactic acid theory has been debunked and it has been determined that the pain we feel after workouts is the result of tiny muscle fiber tears. When the fibers reheal, they are usually stronger. Here are a few articles for reference : http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/health/nutrition/16run.html http://www.time-to-run.com/theabc/lactic.htm

    Reply
    • Melissa says: March 10, 2015 at 1:42 pm

      I don’t think this article is wrong. This article is talking about the BURN you feel WHILE exercising that sometimes gets so bad that your muscles stop working.

      You are referencing the aches we have AFTER exercising, like the next day, when the body is recovering from the workout.

      This article is not wrong!

      Reply
  • Bob says: March 30, 2020 at 2:19 am

    Agree. The article is referring to the burn during exercising. Which of course has nothing to do with the micro tears you get after a hard workout. I thought he was going to say it is because of “Hydrogen” not Lactic Acid. I don’t think your body produces hydrogen so not sure why people think hydrogen is at the root.

    Reply
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