heavy lifting DOMS recovery times

lynnk1971

Hi guys & girls
I started my lifting yesterday and boy i think i did it right, i ache like you wouldnt believe.

How long do i need to leave it until my next lifting session for muscle recovery?
Thanks
Lynn

DoogCampbell

Depends if you are hardcore lol

No seriously this is something that changes as you get more experienced at lifting. If you have just started then it will take a little longer. But as you train more regularly you'll find DOMS get less and less. A safe margin for muscle recovery (not necessarily DOMS recovery) is 24hrs for a muscle group. If you have just started out then you may find that the DOMS are bad and last 24-72 hours. If that's the case you may not feel able to work the same muscle groups in just 24 hours. Take a little more time between workouts and you'll soon find that your body can easily work with 24 hours for the DOMS.

Muscle recovery is still required whatever level you work at, don't always associate DOMS with muscle recovery as they are two different processes. For this reason you will find that most lifting programs provide 'splits', different muscles groups per workout. In this way you can lift every day whilst giving the different groups time to recover. If you look at programs like Strong Lifts 5x5 it proposed two alternating programs but squats features in both so e careful.

If your next lifting session is different muscle groups then give it 24-48 hours to feel comfortable, if its the same then as soon as you feel able. As mentioned, some people like to push through DOMS and that can work (quite often a workout really helps clear it up) but listen to what your body tells you whilst still starting out.

ExRelaySprinter

Seems like good advice^^.
Just started lifting also, so appreciate the info.

AsISmile

Well, since you are a beginner, I assume you are doing compact lifts.
If so, you should take at least one rest day between lifting.

If you are up to it, some light to moderate cardio might help.

lynnk1971

AsISmile wrote: »

Well, since you are a beginner, I assume you are doing compact lifts.
If so, you should take at least one rest day between lifting.

If you are up to it, some light to moderate cardio might help.

Great... Bike ride planned for today with our 10 year old so i guess that will do for the light cardio, and thank goodness i dont have to lift today!! Thanks

lynnk1971

DoogCampbell wrote: »

Depends if you are hardcore lol

No seriously this is something that changes as you get more experienced at lifting. If you have just started then it will take a little longer. But as you train more regularly you'll find DOMS get less and less. A safe margin for muscle recovery (not necessarily DOMS recovery) is 24hrs for a muscle group. If you have just started out then you may find that the DOMS are bad and last 24-72 hours. If that's the case you may not feel able to work the same muscle groups in just 24 hours. Take a little more time between workouts and you'll soon find that your body can easily work with 24 hours for the DOMS.

Muscle recovery is still required whatever level you work at, don't always associate DOMS with muscle recovery as they are two different processes. For this reason you will find that most lifting programs provide 'splits', different muscles groups per workout. In this way you can lift every day whilst giving the different groups time to recover. If you look at programs like Strong Lifts 5x5 it proposed two alternating programs but squats features in both so e careful.

If your next lifting session is different muscle groups then give it 24-48 hours to feel comfortable, if its the same then as soon as you feel able. As mentioned, some people like to push through DOMS and that can work (quite often a workout really helps clear it up) but listen to what your body tells you whilst still starting out.

That's great... Many thanks, i have started the strong curves program but will give it a miss today (bike

lynnk1971

That's great... Many thanks, i have started the strong curves program but will give it a miss today (bike ride with our 10yr old so a little light cardio instead...)

DoogCampbell

Sounds like a perfect idea.