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DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and effective workout?

katie

New member
This topic follows on the one that started in my log (after I recounted my experience of extreme, immediate onset muscle soreness after doing deadlifts and KB swings).

Does DOMS tell you you've had an effective workout or not? Discuss.

Personally I think the answer is no. It's more an indicator of the size of the initial "shock" that your muscles experience.

For example, take squats. When I first did them, I couldn't sit down for the next couple of days afterwards. But nowadays I hardly get DOMS from doing them anymore. Does that mean that my squatting workouts are ineffective?

No - I don't rely on DOMS as an indication of how effective my workout is - I look at my training log and make sure the weights are going up consistently.
 
i agree. i dont experience it much anymore unless i deviate from my usual routine, adding weight doesnt really do it either as im still using the same muscles. if i do different exercise i will often get DOMS but depending how hard i push it they are usually only minor. i also find if i have a lay off of 2 weeks or more i will experience DOMS when i start up again, it usually only lasts 2-3 workouts before it fades away

ive got one mate who swears that he has to be sore the next day or he just hasnt worked himself hard enough, this guy works out about once every 6 months though so go figure
 
Yes that's true, I've experienced the layoff effect too.

Also adding weight doesn't give me DOMS either.

Generally, varying the exercise done will give me DOMS. For example, I can do many regular pushups to failure without getting DOMS. Someone introduced me to diamond pushups and boom, I got DOMS the next day.

Also, this is strange, but I used to get DOMS after running. The first time I ran a 9km funrun on no training, I couldn't walk down the stairs. But now I'm not hurting after 14km fun runs. I guess it's the same principle too? (I just didn't know DOMS could apply to cardio workouts as well as weights workouts!)
 
nah DOMs is not a great indicator of effective workout I think.

If I was to do a crap workout and starve myself or be sleep deprived, i'll have DOMs the next day... all DOMs says is that "you haven't recovered yet"
 
Indeed, DOMS is an indicator of a certain level of stress on the body. If you just want severe DOMS, then I suggest: squat, bench and row half your normal lifting weight for 5 sets of 20.

After the workout, don't drink or eat for four hours.

That evening, don't go to sleep until 4am, and get up at 8am.

You'll have wicked DOMS. Does that mean, then, that after every workout you should refrain from eating and drinking and make sure you don't get enough sleep?

Hmmm...

Do you ever hear bakers or butchers complaining about DOMS? And yet look at their arms - massive. Why? Exercise every day in their work. But no DOMS! How could they possible have grown?! Impossible!
 
Fact, since i started powerlifting, I have experienced very little DOMS, tho I"m working a lot harder ever before. Sure, I'm eating the house down...but yeah...no DOMS
 
I tend to use DOMS as a indicator of a good workout.. When I stop having DOMS or that good muscle soreness.. I change something in my workout,(weight,reps,sets, intensity). I try not to let myself plateau, So not having them means for me, time to change something.
 
Katie, you've asked:
Does DOMS tell you you've had an effective workout or not?
This sounds a bit like the No Pain No Gain saying of old. What that pain is telling you is that you’ve had some excessive microtrauma. Anything you do, even if it's mowing the lawn and using muscles that have been asleep for a while is going to cause some discomfort to your body. Coming back into training after a lay off will also do it. Once adaptation has taken place, severe muscle soreness becomes something of the past. There should always be some sort of discomfort, but not so severe and excessive where a muscle is sore just by touching.



Fadi.
 
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As fadi said, the body is extremely efficient at adapting.

first time i did squats, deadlifts..etc i couldnt walk/bendover properly for days

after my 2 week holiday i experienced the same thing
first workout back i was so sore

body got used to it
doing full body 3x a week and still experience soreness albeit much milder
 
doing full body 3x a week and still experience soreness albeit much milder
Wow Upg, someone in the house that trains like I do. I'm impressed Champion.

I'll put my program up soon.


Fadi.
 
I use to almost never get DOMS when I was training last year, even with extremely taxing workouts like 140kg+ squats for 20 continous reps.

After starting olympic weigtlifting training though I now usually have a little DOMS, mostly through the traps and core, areas I neglected in my previous training. Seems with me to be anything that my body is not conditioned to do, or adapted to doing will result in some DOMS.
 
Stretching after each set to circulate the blood to the effected area usually eleviates DOMS. But doms isnt an indication of a good workout.

An good indication is when u lifted that extra 5-10kgs this week with ease for the same amount of reps/sets without breaking a sweat.
 
Seems with me to be anything that my body is not conditioned to do, or adapted to doing will result in some DOMS.


Nick, to solve your DOMS or to lessen its duration drastically, I suggest you grab a very light weight and do between 50 to 100 reps with it. It will drive all the nutrient reach blood into whatever muscle is suffering from DOMS and help you get back on track sooner the not.




Fadi.
 
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I don't think DOMS are a good indication of a good workout, just a different workout.

Example - I had NEVER done deadlifts until last week, I did them on 90kg for the first time and for 2-3 days afterwards, I could feel decent DOMS, then I did them again yesterday... 2nd time... No doms even when done on a heavier weight.

:) woo.
 
LOL markos, soon to be 150kg, still light I know.

Cheers Fadi, its never enough to bother me or stop me from training the next day. If it ever gets bad I usually go for a long walk.
 
I think everyone agrees that DOMS in not an indicator of an effective workout.

Besides if you aimed for DOMS every workout you would:

a) not be able to train the body part till DOMS passes
b) look silly trying to walk if you experiencing DOMS in your legs.
c) will lose motivation if you dont feel DOMS on your next few workouts, you will feel like your doing something wrong.
d) might get into a habit of taking ibrufen
 
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