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I went to the gym for the first time last Sunday and lifted some weights and my arms are still hurting 3 days later. Is this supposed to happen, or does this mean I worked out too much?
Yes perfectly normal, the first time you use weights you will tear your muscles because you are pushing your body beyond what it is used to doing. It will take several days to repair. As your training becomes more regular your body will adjust. If you regularly use heavy weights with low repetition you will eventually start to build your muscles up. If you use lighter weights with a higher repetition you will build fitness and stamina without building huge muscles.
Once you're over 40, the same level intensity weight workout which once would've built up your muscles would now only provide your muscles maintenance, wouldn't it? Due to the atrophy of your muscles as you get older, your weight workouts would have to really be super hard to actually build muscle, from the shit I've always read on the subject.
Yes as you become older it requires a harder work out to build muscle. This conflicts with the body’s own aging process which limits the level of workout the body is able to endure. However, if you have worked hard in your youth to build a physically fit and healthy body, but have then let things go a bit on the approach to middle age it is still possible to rebuild that muscle in your 40’s or early 50’s with a sensible level of workout. We are all different and some people can endure a greater level of physical strain on their body than others, but if you have a reasonable level of health and fitness and your body is previously well adjusted to exercise, then you should find it easier to be in tune with your body and therefore more able to listen to the messages it gives you about your personal levels of physical endurance.
What you are experiencing is known as "D.O.M.S" Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Most times whilst working out or after the burning feeling you feel is lactic acid buildup. The microtearing of the myosin and actin within the muscle belly start to inflame and repair within the next 5 to 7 days (depending on diet, age etc.) Usually 2 to 3 days after initially working out said muscle, this pain is the inflammation phase. As you work out more and more, it will feel a lot less painful but it still will be present most times.
Yes. This is why you rotate which parts of your body and muscles you lift with.
Yes. If your muscles are not sore for a few days after your first weight lifting workout after not working out for a long time, your weight lifting workout is not hard enough to where your muscles will grow again.
Yes. Essentially what is happening when you lift weights is that you are tearing (injuring) muscle tissue, and it heals stronger (bigger). There are many schools of thought as to how hard you should lift and for how long you should recover. It is definitely normal for a first timer to be sore for several days.