Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
What is DOMS?
DOMS is an acronym for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. This is the soreness you feel a day or two after training.
What does DOMS look like in a training program?
DOMS is the pain or tenderness you feel as a result of muscle damage and inflammation. This muscle damage is usually caused by novelty (doing something new, whether it’s a new exercise, tempo, intensity or training program).
If you are starting a new program you will be the most sore in the first week and each subsequent week should result in a lower intensity of DOMS or no DOMS at all.
Soreness is not an indicator of a “good workout”. It is simply an indicator of muscle damage. If you’re in so much pain that you can barely sit down on the toilet, or you’re sore for 6 days and can't work out, that’s TOO much soreness and is counterproductive to our goal.
What can I do to prevent soreness?
Since soreness is caused by novelty, the best way to prevent getting too sore is to stick to a program and train regularly. If you take long breaks, each time you start up again will be a rude awakening of DOMS. If you program hop or take random classes the novelty of each new exercise may cause DOMS after every workout, which as we stated earlier is NOT an indicator of a “good workout”. Eating enough protein to support recovery, staying hydrated, resting, walking, icing, light stretching or massage can also help reduce the pain associated with DOMS.
