DOMS - Should I avoid weights whilst I have them?

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Hi All

I posted last week about losing my workout mojo but finally this week I have it back wahooo. I've been going to classes and did a 3.5k run on Tuesday. Yesterday I did a weights class and I have serious quad muscle soreness - I wanted to do BodyPump today but shall I avoid it and maybe do some light cardio instead?

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  • MelmothWanders
    MelmothWanders Posts: 47 Member
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    Sounds like you already have the right idea. Some light cardio won't hurt and can help with recovery, and it's perfectly fine to do an upper body class or lift weights focusing elsewhere than your legs today. It's okay to work out a little sore, but recovery time is important and working out through DOMS-level soreness is likely to lead to injury.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
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    Sounds like you already have the right idea. Some light cardio won't hurt and can help with recovery, and it's perfectly fine to do an upper body class or lift weights focusing elsewhere than your legs today. It's okay to work out a little sore, but recovery time is important and working out through DOMS-level soreness is likely to lead to injury.


    Nope. There is a difference between working out while sore vs working out with a muscle strain/injury. Working out while injured is likely to lead to further injury, as well as creating new injuries while compensating for current injuries. DOMS will subside once you get into the workout.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    When I have DOMS I continue on with my usual routine. Usually, I don't feel any soreness by the time I am half way through my warm-up. It has never affected my lifts and afterwards it barely comes back, if at all.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    In general, no, DOMS should not prevent you from working out again.

    However you should have a rest day between strength training the same muscle group twice.

    BUT I'm not sure if a "weights class" and "body pump" really count as "strength training". The rep count and weights are up there near the "cardio with weights" line. I think.

    In conclusion... I think I'd vote for sticking with straight cardio today to be sure, but it doesn't have to be that "light".
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    The cure for DOMS is hair of the dog.

    IOW, take a day of rest and do the session again. The longer you draw out the adaptation, the longer it will take.

    There's NOTHING wrong with working out with DOMS. As long as you're properly programming rest sessions and days, and performing your exercises with proper form. The science is still open regarding what causes DOMS, but the cure is tested and proven. Get moving.

    This.