Muscle soreness (DOMS) is it a sign of muscle growth?

[Shawdow]

what do you guys think?
If you are really sore the day after a workout does it mean your muscles are getting bigger?

[mademan80]

i think there is some truth to this...they had an article in muscle fitness about this subject...the article promoted DOMS saying you needed it for growth

[mesmorph78]

i believe so

[kh300]

my back is by far my best bodypart... i dont think its ever been sore.. my chest is always sore. its my worst bodypart

[BatistaSL]

my back is by far my best bodypart... i dont think its ever been sore.. my chest is always sore. its my worst bodypart

Opposite for me...........

My chest is the best body part, They are always sore after ex. Feel like its going to rip off the bone any minute...
My arms are the weakest body part....They are never sore...

[mademan80]

yeah my chest gets extremely sore,next back,shoulders and traps...my tris get pretty sore and the only time my bis get sore is if i havent worked them in a long time

[Emmortal]

Short answer, no.  You can't gauge muscle growth on DOMS.

[benchthis]

ha ha tiny tits doesnt train legs so they never get sore

[jon cole]

my back is by far my best bodypart... i dont think its ever been sore.. my chest is always sore. its my worst bodypart

agree, i feel the more sore in my chest, and they're not so big.
i never feel sore on my tri and delt but they're huge.
i feel lot of sore on quads and they 're middle.

[Zach Trowbridge]

It can be an indicator but there's really no direct correlation.  I can do 100 reps of a leg extension with 50lbs and get sore, but my quads aren't going to get any bigger.  It does give a decent idea if you're targeting the right muscles, for example if your lats are sore after chins you know you're recruiting the correct muscle group instead of using all biceps.

[tbombz]

I can do 100 reps of a leg extension with 50lbs and get sore, but my quads aren't going to get any bigger. 

i agree ith your post but i dont agree with this. 

they will grow, its just whether they will grow as much as if you had done heavier wight with lower reps.


all training works... if you walk out of the gym and your target muscle(s) is exhausted and beat to hell, youll grow, regardless of what training method used.......  just some work better than others.

[Shawdow]

i agree ith your post but i dont agree with this. 

they will grow, its just whether they will grow as much as if you had done heavier wight with lower reps.


all training works... if you walk out of the gym and your target muscle(s) is exhausted and beat to hell, youll grow, regardless of what training method used.......  just some work better than others.

i had always done heavy work, following max-ot to the t
4-6 reps, 6 sets muscle group
after each workout, I didn't feel shit, not exhausted in any way

i have recently changed to volume, and after each workout, i can barely use that muscle, i like it much better
i get really sore from it too, and i think it's making me grow much better

so you agree that if after a workout your muscles are fully exhausted you will grow?

[tbombz]

i had always done heavy work, following max-ot to the t
4-6 reps, 6 sets muscle group
after each workout, I didn't feel shit, not exhausted in any way

i have recently changed to volume, and after each workout, i can barely use that muscle, i like it much better
i get really sore from it too, and i think it's making me grow much better

so you agree that if after a workout your muscles are fully exhausted you will grow?

yeah, i think that as long as you fully exhaust a muscle, it will grow

[pumpster]

my back is by far my best bodypart... i dont think its ever been sore.. my chest is always sore. its my worst bodypart

That doesn't necessarily mean anything; what DOMS tells me is that you're hitting the muscle to it's fullest potential, therefore you can still grow without DOMS but i believe that to get the most potential you try to get it if possible. Especially when it comes to someone's strong points, they can easily grow even if the exercises don't hit the muscles to the fullest.

Whether DOMS matters is unproven, therefore i think it's something to go for as often as possible because of the strong anecdotal evidence:

-You have nothing to lose by getting it, it can't hurt and intuitively it likely helps alot, as it's a sure sign and confirmation of tearing the muscle down.

-It's proof that you've you've effectively hit the desired area.



Therefore based on the above evidience that i belive is compelling, it's smarter to play the odds and try to get DOMS as much as possible, if you want to max. the workouts and hit muscles to their fullest.

[Shawdow]

That doesn't necessarily mean anything; what DOMS tells me is that you're hitting the muscle to it's fullest potential, therefore you can still grow without DOMS but i believe that to get the most potential you try to get it if possible. Especially when it comes to someone's strong points, they can easily grow even if the exercises don't hit the muscles to the fullest.

Whether DOMS matters is unproven, therefore i think it's something to go for as often as possible because of the strong anecdotal evidence:

-You have nothing to lose by getting it, it can't hurt and intuitively it likely helps alot, as it's a sure sign and confirmation of tearing the muscle down.

-It's proof that you've you've effectively hit the desired area.



Therefore based on the above evidience that i belive is compelling, it's smarter to play the odds and try to get DOMS as much as possible, if you want to max. the workouts and hit muscles to their fullest.

thanks alot pumpter, best answer yet, you really know your stuff
position as mod of training board is well deserved
you must also be huge!

[leonp1981]

Most of this has already been said, but it's not so much a sign of muscle growth as muscle stimulation.  It tells you that you've pushed your muscles beyond what they were capable of.  I find it's a great mental stimulus when you're really sore the next day.  It's kinda weird, but I love the feeling of sore muscles, it tells me I'm achieving something.

[mademan80]

Most of this has already been said, but it's not so much a sign of muscle growth as muscle stimulation.  It tells you that you've pushed your muscles beyond what they were capable of.  I find it's a great mental stimulus when you're really sore the next day.  It's kinda weird, but I love the feeling of sore muscles, it tells me I'm achieving something.

thought i was the only one

[big L dawg]

if I'm not sore the next day or two(Any body part)I'm pissed.and next time I hit it.I make damn sure it's sore.

[chaos]

thanks alot pumpter, best answer yet, you really know your stuff
position as mod of training board is well deserved
you must also be huge!

Nice sarcasm.

[Shawdow]

Nice sarcasm.

I was being serious, pumpster knows his stuff, pumpster, I hope you didn't think I was being sarcastic

[chaos]

I was being serious, pumpster knows his stuff, pumpster, I hope you didn't think I was being sarcastic