Should I Train Chest If My Triceps Are Sore? 10 Things To Consider
Whether you’re an avid weightlifter or newbie, chances are you have experienced the frustration of having sore triceps even though you are wanting to train your chest.
It leaves you to ask “if my triceps are sore should I still train my chest”. It can be difficult to figure out if you should power through and work your chest or be patient and wait until the soreness has gone.
Today we’re discussing this tricky situation…what causes sore triceps to begin with, how training around them affects your routine and some other tips for when this happens.
Read on as we break down why and when you should continue training your chest despite feeling discomfort in your triceps.
Should I Train Chest If My Triceps Are Sore?
When your triceps are feeling tight, stretching can be a great way to ease tension and alleviate discomfort. Stretching out the muscles helps relax them so they don’t ache as much, enabling you to move more freely. If you find that this helps ease the discomfort, then you may be able to continue with your chest session. If however, the soreness persists, then it may be best to take a break from chest training and focus on a different muscle group, like your legs for example. If the soreness is more than just a one-off occurrence and has it happened before, then consider changing up your programming so that you don’t encounter this issue in future, or if training is new to you, DOMS should subside after a few days. At the end of the day, it depends on the severity of the soreness and how your body is responding. If you feel like you can push through, then go for it but if you need to take a step back, then that’s okay too. Listen to your body and make sure you are not overtraining any muscle group to avoid further injury or fatigue. It may also be worth training your triceps directly after your chest instead of focusing on them separately. See what works best for you and your training routine.
Knowing whether to train your chest even though your triceps are sore isn’t an easy decision to make, let’s now look at the reasons why you should or shouldn’t do so…
How sore are they?
first and foremost, you should assess how sore your triceps are before making the decision to train your chest or not. If it is more of a dull ache or mild discomfort, then you may be able to complete your workout however, if it is more than that and it’s an intense pain or throbbing sensation as soon as you move your arms, then it’s best to take a break and work on other muscle groups instead.
If you are new to training, you will more than likely experience a case of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) after a workout and this is normal. As your body will still be getting used to the intensity and stimulus of a session, but with time your body will adapt to you lifting weights and DOMS won’t be such a big deal or hold you back as much.
If you are already an experienced weightlifter, then it may be due to overloading the triceps with your current plan or performing too many sets/reps of exercises. If this is the case, you should adjust your program so that you can still continue training without overworking any particular muscle group that restricts you from training your chest on the day you’re scheduled to do so.
Can you stretch it out?
If your triceps are slightly sore then it can help to stretch them out by doing various stretches such as arm circles or tricep stretches. If you find that this helps ease the discomfort somewhat, then you may be able to continue with your chest session. If however, the soreness persists, then it may be best to take a break from chest training that day and focus on other muscle groups until the soreness subsides.
If stretching brings relief, then you may have just been experiencing tight muscles resulting from a lack of post-workout cooldown with your triceps. To avoid this in the future, devote some time to a proper stretching routine and/or post-workout cooldown.
Establishing a consistent warm-up and cooldown stretching routine will help to keep your muscles limber and primed for your next workout, letting them recuperate faster between sessions. Stretching is a key part of any successful training program, so make sure to always factor it in when planning your workouts.
Is it a one off?
If the soreness is just a one-off, then it may be best to just take a rest day and wait until the soreness subsides before returning to your routine. This is one of those situations where you need to listen to your body with regard to whether or not you should persist with a workout or take an extra rest day.
If you are feeling up to it and want to continue training, then focus on other muscle groups until your triceps have recovered. If the soreness persists, then it may be time to re-evaluate your current program and adjust it as needed.
You may want to look at the reasons why it may have happened so that you can prevent it from occurring again in the future. Do you have too many sets or reps programmed? Are your exercises targeting the triceps too much? If yes, then you may need to make some adjustments so that you can continue training without overloading your triceps so that you don’t compromise your performance and ability to train next time around.
You could also just put it down to the fact you had an extra intense session previously and know exactly why it happened and have no need to assess the situation, in which case, consider training your triceps straight after your chest. If you do this, it will help to keep the muscles ticking over while they are still warm, which will help remove the issue you’re having now.
Do lighter workout
If you are experiencing tricep soreness, then it may be best to reduce the intensity of your workouts and focus on lighter exercises that won’t stress the triceps too much. If you find that the soreness persists, then it may be best to take a complete break from chest training for a few days until the soreness subsides.
If you find that it is becoming an issue more frequently, then it may be time to look at changing your current programming and making adjustments so that you are not overloading your triceps before working your chest.
If you choose to carry on and train your chest even though you are feeling sore in the triceps area, then make sure that you are performing lighter exercises and not pushing yourself too hard, by using resistance bands, light weights and higher reps.
Related: Can I train biceps before back workout?
Wait another day
If you find that the soreness is persisting even after stretching, reducing intensity levels and doing a lighter workout, then it may be best to wait another day and take a complete rest from chest training until the soreness subsides.
It’s not worth risking an injury just for the sake of doing a workout when you are feeling sore, so it’s best to be safe and give your triceps the time they need to rest and recover. If you find that the issue persists after a day’s rest, then you should re-evaluate your current program and make adjustments as necessary.
It can be frustrating when feeling sore, especially if you are “chomping at the bit” to get back into the gym (we all know how it feels), but you have to remember that rest and recovery are just as important as the actual workout itself. If you take care of your body, it will take care of you!
Train triceps straight after your chest
One way to remove the issue of sore triceps is to switch up your routine so that you train your triceps straight after your chest.
This will help keep the muscles ticking over while they are still warm, and will also provide an extra layer of protection for your triceps as you will be able to use lighter weights and higher reps. If you find that this is something that works for you, then it may be best to make it a regular part of your routine so that you can continue training without the issue of soreness in your triceps.
Quite a lot of fitness programs incorporate triceps with pushing workouts and biceps with pull workouts. This is because muscles tend to work together and benefit from being trained in this way. If you find that your current program is not doing this, then it may be worth looking at incorporating these exercises into each workout session.
Although some don’t like training this way, it’s well worth giving it a go to see if it works for you as it may be the answer to your sore triceps problem.
Change programming
As we have touched upon above, if you are finding that your triceps are becoming sore more frequently, then it may be worth looking into changing your program and making adjustments so that you are not overloading the muscles with too much work.
If you stop to think about it, does your current fitness program have any days where body parts clash or are working against each other? If so, then this may be the cause of your soreness and it is worth looking into making some changes.
Having sore triceps is a prime example of this because you shouldn’t be training your chest after working your triceps too much, as this will only put extra strain on the muscles and increase the likelihood of further soreness, while also potentially compromising your ability to get the most out of your chest workout.
If you find that this is something that works for you, then it may be worth making adjustments to your program so that these muscle groups are not working against each other on any given day.
It may be worth consulting with a professional trainer or coach who can help you find the perfect balance for your body and ensure that you are getting all of the benefits from your workouts without having to worry about soreness.
Listen to your body
Listening to your body when it comes to training and how you are feeling is crucial and must be taken seriously. If you find that even after making the necessary adjustments and changes, your triceps are still becoming sore more frequently than usual, then it may be best to take a complete rest from training until your body is fully recovered.
Nobody should ever feel forced into exercising, so don’t beat yourself up if this happens – just make sure to listen to your body and take it easy for a few days so that you can get back into the swing of things feeling refreshed and ready to go.
We have all been there, when no matter what you do the workout just doesn’t get going, which leaves you feeling frustrated but also guilty at the same time. If this is the case, then just remember to take a step back and don’t push yourself too hard – you can always try again tomorrow!
Related: Why can’t I feel my biceps while doing bicep curls?
Final thoughts…
If you find that your triceps are sore before a chest workout, then it may be worth considering training these muscles straight after the chest workout instead. If this doesn’t work for you, then it is suggested to look into changing up your program or reducing either the volume or intensity of each exercise.
If none of these solutions provide any relief, then be sure to listen to your body and rest until you are fully recovered. If soreness persists, consult a professional trainer or coach who can help you find the perfect balance for your body and ensure that you are getting all of the benefits from your workouts without having to worry about soreness.
Would you train your chest if your triceps were sore and have these tips helped? Let me know in the comments below!
