| If you've ever set foot in the weight lifting room or put | | | | Does major workout pain afterwards lead to major |
| yourself on a bodybuilding program, you already know | | | | results? Unfortunately, no. |
| that the next day, you may have a small amount of | | | | Relying solely on muscular soreness as an indication of |
| difficulty getting out of bed. | | | | progress is a poor way to do things. As stated above, |
| DOMS, otherwise known as delayed onset of muscle | | | | it is quite individual as well. Some people just tend to |
| soreness, is something that plagues some more than | | | | experience more soreness than others. |
| others it seems. For some, they so much as lift a few | | | | Further, lifestyle can come into play here. Those who |
| dumbbells and they are sore the next day. Others, can | | | | are more flexible don't usually experience as much |
| go in, do a full blown workout and feel great without | | | | pain either (especially if they performed a great deal of |
| any pain afterwards whatsoever. | | | | stretching before and after the said workout session). |
| What does this mean? | | | | Also, if someone has a more active job and is moving |
| Does the person who is experiencing the pain get | | | | around a bit more versus someone who is seated all |
| better results from their training? How good of an | | | | day, that person may not get as sore either just |
| indicator is muscular soreness when it comes to | | | | because the blood is being constantly circulated |
| gaining weight? | | | | throughout the muscle tissue - more so than someone |
| The Cause Of DOMS | | | | sitting, and this helps to remove the build-up of |
| The most common cause of this muscle soreness | | | | byproducts that may be occurring. |
| that you may experience anywhere from a few hours | | | | Preventing Muscle Soreness |
| later to two or three days after the workout is a | | | | If you're looking to prevent muscle soreness, there are |
| difference in neuromuscular pattern that occurred | | | | a few things you can do. |
| during the exercise. | | | | As mentioned above, stretching will go a long way |
| For example, let's say you normally do squats for your | | | | towards helping relieve the pain. Be sure not to do a |
| legs but then decide to switch it up and do lunges one | | | | thorough stretching session unless you are warmed up, |
| session instead. If you haven't done lunges in quite | | | | however, as this could end up causing a pulled muscle |
| some time, it is very likely you'll be much sorer after | | | | or ligament. |
| that workout than the ones where you did the squats. | | | | Another thing you can do is lift more frequently. Very |
| The reason? It's because this is a new movement that | | | | often those who are only periodically doing their weight |
| you're body hasn't experienced recently and as such, | | | | training program experience more soreness than |
| all the nerves that integrate the muscle tissues have | | | | someone who is lifting more regularly. For this reason, |
| been worked to a larger extent than normal. | | | | a full body performed three days a week can actually |
| Therefore, any time you decide to switch up your | | | | be a good plan because then you'll be hitting each |
| usual exercises, expect some soreness. | | | | muscle group with a higher frequency. |
| Another reason soreness can also occur is because | | | | Finally, the last thing you can do is apply heat or sit in a |
| of improper technique. If you are doing an exercise in | | | | nice hot bath later on in the day. This again will |
| the wrong manner, your body may be placed under a | | | | increase blood flow to the muscle tissues and help to |
| stress that it's not intended to experience and as such, | | | | remove build-up products which are often the cause |
| you'll experience pain. | | | | of muscular soreness in the first place. |
| Finally, those who are on low carb diets can also be | | | | So, rather than using soreness as a guide to how |
| slightly more prone to muscular soreness, just because | | | | much you accomplished in your last workout, use |
| of the way these diets are laid out. | | | | weight added to the bar. This is a much better |
| Muscle Soreness and Progress | | | | indicator. |