Why DOMS aren't a good sign of a workout

We've all woken up after a particularly gruelling gym session just to experience those famous post-workout aches, sometimes so severe that even sitting down can give you trouble. It's one of the most unexpected aspects when first starting out as a beginner.

Well, that pain itself is called DOMS (short for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Oftentimes, a lot of people tend to associate the sensation with their own perceived rate of effort, and how much "hard work" they've put in for the day. This however, isn't always the case. Let me explain.

Understanding DOMS

When dealing with DOMS, the first thing we need to have an understanding of is the fundamentals; in other words the way in which it works & affects our bodies.

To keep things simple: when you first start a workout there are several things happening in your body at the same moment. These all work together and are characterised by:

1. An elevation in heart rate and blood pressure - to allow more pumping of the blood amounting from the extra work load
2. An increase in sweating - to keep your body cool during sustained effort
3. A spike in metabolic rate - this is essentially your body's caloric requirement being increased [helps kickstart weight loss]

As your body is being put under stress, so are the specific muscles being worked on, these will essentially be the catalyst to the breakdown process which will in itself give the 'achey' sensation you feel the next few days.

Why the aches stop after consistent training

As you continue your training journey, so do your muscles. With time (ideally under tension), the fibres which once would twitch and ache the next morning no longer do so - or at least at the same intensity. This is fine by itself, but unfortunately a turning point in which people will mistake non-reactive DOMS with a stagnant sense of progress.

One of the key problems when it comes to this, is the feeling of pride and victory that is attached to the post-workout feeling; a sign of success, if you will. Pair that with other common issues people who lift face (such as body dysmorphia, anxiety) and we can clearly begin to see how it impedes progress paired with a reliance on a bit of muscle soreness.

When it comes to making positive changes - the only thing that will be a good indicator of muscle growth is simply strength. This can be determined primarily, by a baseline shift from what your lift(s) were, in an average timeframe of 6 weeks - observable as it increases within a stable rate.

But is this the only sign to gauge your session effectiveness? There's still a few more, observable below.

Signs to look out for after a good workout (other than DOMS)

1. Small twitches with movement - a sign that your muscle fibers are during the middle stage of repair
2. Decreased performance - includable within the primary and even secondary (supporting) muscles
3. Generally increased overall muscle appearance - happens as inflammation takes over worked fibers

Final thoughts

As you will have already gathered, there's much more to building muscle than the soreness that comes the next day. By continuing to push yourself, staying aware of the different signs & not over stressing DOMS, you will gradually come to find yourself stronger & ready for more.

All in all, this has been today's article. Hope this clears up any misconceptions, if you have any questions (I am a fully qualified personal trainer) then head on over to my instagram @coachrafail and I'll answer your questions there. Thank you for reading and good luck :)