The Truth About Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
Soreness is not a measure of a good workout. It is a measure of novelty. Chasing it is chasing the wrong signal.
Dejan Koceski
Health & Performance Coach · Melbourne
The Truth About Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
Soreness is not a measure of a good workout.
It is a measure of novelty.
What DOMS Actually Is
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is the muscle pain you feel 24-72 hours after unfamiliar exercise. It peaks around day two and fades over the following days.
It is caused by micro-damage to muscle fibres from eccentric (lowering) work that your body is not adapted to. The damage triggers inflammation, and the inflammation is what you feel as soreness.
Soreness Does Not Equal Growth
The fitness industry has sold the idea that soreness means the workout worked. It does not.
Soreness means you did something your body was not used to. That is all. A well-trained athlete who has been training consistently for years rarely gets very sore - and continues to build muscle and strength.
Chasing soreness is chasing the wrong signal. You can be incredibly sore from a workout that produces no growth, and not sore at all from a workout that produces excellent growth.
When Soreness Is Useful
Soreness is useful as a novelty indicator. If you are sore after every session for months, you are not adapting - which means your recovery or progression is off.
If you are sore after a new exercise, a new rep range, or a return from a break, that is normal and expected.
When Soreness Is A Problem
- Soreness so severe it limits your next session means you did too much, too fast.
- Soreness that lasts more than four days is a sign of excessive damage.
- Soreness that never decreases over weeks of training means your recovery is inadequate.
The Real Goal
The goal is not to be sore. The goal is to train hard enough to stimulate adaptation, recover well enough to adapt, and progress over time.
A great workout often leaves you feeling worked but not wrecked. Learn to trust that signal.
Build intelligent training at The System. Read about recovery at Active Recovery.
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