Am I doing enough???
luce3003
Posts: 31 Member
Random Q: Am I working hard enough if I don't get major DOMS?
Been doing stronglifts for a few weeks now and enjoying it so far. However I feel like compared to what I used to do I'm not getting as achey the couple of days following a workout - does this mean I aren't doing enough?
I know some people put a LOT of emphasis on DOMS - the "OMG I could barely sit/stand/lie down for 3 days!!!" types - and I totally expect (and even enjoy!) achiness after a workout (no pain no gain!) but do I really need to be rolling on the floor in agony achey to have achieved something? (as one of my friends is suggesting...)
I do have some soreness/achiness following my stronglifts workouts but its minimal compared to my previous programme.
Or now because I am trying to build strength and following a programme of more compound/fewer isolated excercises is what I am experiencing normal?
Thanks all
xxx
Been doing stronglifts for a few weeks now and enjoying it so far. However I feel like compared to what I used to do I'm not getting as achey the couple of days following a workout - does this mean I aren't doing enough?
I know some people put a LOT of emphasis on DOMS - the "OMG I could barely sit/stand/lie down for 3 days!!!" types - and I totally expect (and even enjoy!) achiness after a workout (no pain no gain!) but do I really need to be rolling on the floor in agony achey to have achieved something? (as one of my friends is suggesting...)
I do have some soreness/achiness following my stronglifts workouts but its minimal compared to my previous programme.
Or now because I am trying to build strength and following a programme of more compound/fewer isolated excercises is what I am experiencing normal?
Thanks all
xxx
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Replies
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DOMS is not a good indicator of effort. Most likely, your body is now familiar with the movements and is accustom to the work. This is not a bad thing. I find that I only get DOMS on the exercises I don't do regularly. I can feel a little sore after a SL workout, but not to the can't move level and I don't need to die to know that lifting what I lift is a good workout.
I think many people who do a lot of iso lifts get DOMS because they hit that one muscle group hard once or twice a week at most. They may alternate exercises and the variation causes the muscles to never adapt to help limit DOMS. Also, they are often in the hypertrophy level of reps so they are doing more damage to the muscle (necessary for greater muscle growth). I am kind of pulling that idea out of my butt, but I'm basing it on personal observations and experience. Could be completely wrong so I wouldn't quote it. May be some bro science.
So, yeah, no DOMS and just a little soreness is normal for a compound strength driven plan.
Okay, I think I need more coffee.0 -
Thanks for the reply!! I kind of thought that myself but when you have someone basically saying "you haven't worked hard enough if you can still walk/climb stairs/breathe" is a little demotivating!!
What you say makes total sense - I was doing iso lifts previously and that's when I woul ache more - still do the odd few set here and there to spice things up but obv not to the same degree!
Cheers :flowerforyou:0 -
I can confirm that going into the higher rep range tends to cause DOMS a lot more. I'm doing the boring but big template of Wendler 5/3/1 which adds in 5 sets of 10 after the main strength work and boy am I feeling it the next day. The first week was the worst, though. I think it's really mostly just getting used to a rep range. And a movement. Also some moves will stretch out the muscle more, which might end up causing more DOMS as well.
Just because you're not trashed doesn't mean it wasn't a good workout. And doing full body 3 times a week means the stress is more spaced out in nature, too.
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My muscles always feel fatigued after lifting, but all I have is twinges when I move from sitting to standing for the rest of the day (my thighs definitely feel it).0
