soreness is definitely an indicator of an intense workout where the muscle is pushed past its limits.
but theres a cut off point where intensity no longer promotes growth but inhibits recovery and gains.
Of course. But that was not the topic starters question. I don't kill myself in the gym that's not what I am there to do, however, with a delineated program of what needs to happen when I enter the gym. I.E progressive overload on one or maybe two core exercises, sets of the day I will always be sore usually DOMS. Now I will do this either by the preferred methods, increased weight/reps. Or the shortening of rest periods, increasing time under tension, changing tempo, pausing on the negative portion or eccentric phase of the lift, a static hold on the concentic portion of the lift etc. You can see some of the methods lead naturally to soreness.
And yes it does. IF all other nutritional and recovery measures are taken. Yes more effort needs to be taken to recovery but the greater the adaptive response. That means alot of different things not only the amount of rest and nutrition but what is done physically(training, other things) to facilitate it.
I am currently training an individual whom I was putting though a very intense traing program yet refused to adapt his nutritional or dietary needs to accommodate the stresses caused by such a regime. He started to get weaker, smaller and basically burnt out after two weeks. I explained to him that unless requirements XYZ are met the greatest program and trainer means jackshit. After basically mommying him and bumped his calories up and convinced him to go to sleep at a decent hour he has since seen a 10 lbs increase in lean mass from his original starting weight as well as a very significant jump in strength, all in a week.
And no of course my progress wouldn't be as fast as if I train naturally. But regardless of whether I am on or not, i still have Doms and progress almost weekly, whether an increase in strength, stamina or size, progress is a constant. As mentioned before I do have many breaks in training but even when consistent for years at a time naturally I won't plateau, progress is much slower yes but it is always there in one or more of the above mentioned forms.
