No DOMS?

[Morrigainz]

Please pardon this n00b question, but...

If I don't get DOMS after lifting, does that mean I'm not working hard enough?

[67alecto]

For no DOMS at all, it sounds like you need to step it up - increase the weight or intensity.

Now, if you're working out regularly, it is common that the duration of DOMS shortens drastically. Starting out, you might be feeling soreness all week (especially on the 2nd day after a workout), but as you progress, DOMS can resolve in as little as 6 hours.

[Morrigainz]

Alright, time to up it then!

I think I didn't eat enough on Friday, so my workout was suboptimal. I'll make sure to eat plenty today (I brought like 25 lbs of food to work with me!) so I can really kick my workout's ass.

[This is Seth]

Did you workout yesterday and you're not feeling it today?

Wait until tomorrow, DOMS does have a way of sneaking up on you. But, stick with your original plan... eat more, squat more.

[Morrigainz]

No, it's definitely been a few days. I felt it in my back a bit this weekend, but nothing in my legs, arms, shoulders...anywhere else. And I lifted 3x last week.

Eat more, squat more..... < new personal motto

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I find with lower reps DOMs aren't nearly as bad and they don't last nearly as long. I squatted 240lb 5x5 on Friday afternoon/night and I had just the slightest bit of DOMs (barely noticeable) right around my knees when I woke up on Saturday morning, that was it.

[Morrigainz]

Interesting. Thanks for the feedback and advice

[bprime]

For no DOMS at all, it sounds like you need to step it up - increase the weight or intensity.

Now, if you're working out regularly, it is common that the duration of DOMS shortens drastically. Starting out, you might be feeling soreness all week (especially on the 2nd day after a workout), but as you progress, DOMS can resolve in as little as 6 hours.

Uhm. No.

To put it simply, DOMS occurs because your muscles simply aren't used to working like they are. This will occur in beginners because they've never worked their muscles before, people coming from a layoff, or even more advanced lifters having a radical switch of programs (say a powerlifter going to crossfit, or vice versa). It really has nothing to do with your weight or intensity.

If you've been working out more than a week, or even two weeks, and you're still getting DOMS on a regular basis, there's something wrong going on.

DOMS doesn't even occur on the same day. I don't know how can it resolve itself in as little as six hours. Unless you're simply talking about your muscles being tired because you just lifted. In that case you should be feeling better in no more than 2-3 hours. I'm usually good after the car ride home and downing a protein shake.

[67alecto]

Uhm. No.

To put it simply, DOMS occurs because your muscles simply aren't used to working like they are. This will occur in beginners because they've never worked their muscles before, people coming from a layoff, or even more advanced lifters having a radical switch of programs (say a powerlifter going to crossfit, or vice versa). It really has nothing to do with your weight or intensity.

You can get DOMS regardless of where you are in your training. Any check amongst powerlifters will reveal the running jokes about needing to use the handicap stalls in the days after heavy work. For the people who aren't training for a competition, DOMS will change dramatically and you will experience a much shorter period of rubber legs, stiff arms, etc. Everyone will experience it differently, and it can pass in as little as 6 hours in some cases. For most, people just end up with with some soreness later that night that is gone sometime the next day.

[This is Seth]

BPrime, you don't get T-Rex arms anymore? I still get small bouts of DOMS if I make huge jumps in weights, but not if I stay consistent.

[bprime]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_muscle_soreness

But what do I know. Maybe I just don't train hard enough anymore

I believe I did misspeak/phrased that last sentence incorrectly.

Soreness has nothing to do with how effective/efficient/good/hard your training is. If you're consistently getting DOMS, that's a sign of overtraining, or not recovering properly.

Weight/intensity can play a part. Case in point, I hit a 85lb PR on my back squat and a 90lb PR on my front squat today (This isn't self-masturbatory at all. I promise). I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up feeling a bit stiff. But this is something I won't do again for months. Not an every workout deal.

BUT

If I stuck with my prescribed workout of 280x5x3 for the day, I shouldn't be feeling much if anything tomorrow. Doesn't mean that my workout wasn't intense, or effective, or didn't use enough weight, or anything. It means I have proper programming.

[67alecto]

If you're consistently getting DOMS, that's a sign of overtraining, or not recovering properly.

Weight/intensity can play a part. Case in point, I hit a 85lb PR on my back squat and a 90lb PR on my front squat today (This isn't self-masturbatory at all. I promise). I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up feeling a bit stiff. But this is something I won't do again for months. Not an every workout deal.

BUT

If I stuck with my prescribed workout of 280x5x3 for the day, I shouldn't be feeling much if anything tomorrow. Doesn't mean that my workout wasn't intense, or effective, or didn't use enough weight, or anything. It means I have proper programming.

And I agree with this - I run a calorie deficit most days and break even the others, so I'm definitely not eating enough to speed up recovery. I was specifically referring to DOMS from continued progression. If you're doing the same weight over and over, then yep, you shouldn't be getting DOMS.

But if you're adding weight, reps, duration, etc then it isn't unexpected to experience shorter duration DOMS.

[Morrigainz]

Cool, all this info helps. I'm definitely trying to progress. And I am sore today! Yay.

[Guest Snake McClain]

Sounds to me that some of us are confusing muscle rebuilding/acute muscle soreness with DOMS = DELAYED (key word here) onset muscle soreness.

DOMS as Bprime said hits me when i do a big switch or stop training for a while and then restart.

Soreness comes from lifting like a bad mother and then being super sore for a day and recovering or what have you. At least for me this is the case.

It could also be possible I have no idea what I'm saying as I'm still sort of noobish (since october). But this seems to be what i've discovered.

[67alecto]

Sounds to me that some of us are confusing muscle rebuilding/acute muscle soreness with DOMS = DELAYED (key word here) onset muscle soreness.

DOMS as Bprime said hits me when i do a big switch or stop training for a while and then restart.

Soreness comes from lifting like a bad mother and then being super sore for a day and recovering or what have you. At least for me this is the case.

The confusion stems from my assumption that you're progressing in your workout. If you are doing the same workout over and over, then yes, DOMS should not be an issue and all you're feeling is tired.

However, if you are adding weight (such as the linear progression of Stronglifts), you will continue to experience DOMS, but the duration will be much less than when you were first starting out.