Have you ever completed a workout and even though you feel tired when you finish, you don’t feel sore until a day or two after? vinnymulveyfitness.com
This phenomenon is referred to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS. The common traditional view is that DOMS is caused by increased lactate concentrations from training, but it has recently been shown in studies that high levels of lactic acid rarely persist after an hour or so of rest.
New studies have shown that DOMS is due to the type of muscle contraction. What has been shown is that heavy resistance programs are more prone to produce DOMS. The reason for this muscle soreness, studies say, is the breakdown of muscle fibres. This makes sense when hypertrophy is concerned. What happens is the muscles are put under stress and they break down. Then they rebuild stronger and bigger, to produce a larger appearance.
Exercises that involve mainly ”eccentric” contractions result in more cell damage and, hence, more DOMS. When our muscles contract, there are 2 main contractions involved in an isotonic (muscle length changes but the tension stays the same) contraction:
1) Concentric Contraction – The shortening phase of the contraction (eg. the first phase of a bicep curl, when the elbow is flexing)
2) Eccentric Contraction – The lengthening phase of the contraction (eg. the second phase of a bicep curl, when the elbow is extending)
So, exercises which use mainly eccentric contractions would be downhill running, walking downstairs, landing on the ground from a jump or negative weight training (quick concentric and slow eccentric contractions).
Studies have shown that DOMS is not caused by the actual process of the exercise, but by the rebuilding phase of the cells. The muscles protect themselves by rebuilding – muscle fibres grow in size. Because the cells grow, they swell in their compartments and put pressure on the nerves and arteries, producing pain.
Opinions differ in the fitness industry about whether it is advisable to train on sore muscles or not. Some people say that in order to achieve hypertrophy it is a must. Others suggest that training on sore muscles can produce over-training and fatigue. Recovery days are a must, in my opinion.
There are two types of recovery days. Active and Passive. Active recovery is a must. This would include walking, cycling, or easy jogging. It is recommended to do about 20 to 30 mins. Passive recovery is complete rest, with proper sleep and nutrition.
Another way to recover from DOMS is foam rolling. This involves “rolling” on a foam cylinder over different muscles. It is a form of self-massage, releasing the fascia around the muscles of the body. It improves the elasticity of the muscles and tissues, allowing for more effective use of the muscles.
Lastly, stretching is highly recommended before and after workouts (including active recovery days). I recommend foam rolling followed by stretching. Be careful not to overstretch though!
