Always sore for a week after leg day

[machusenpai]

I don't know what's going on but my leg are always extremely sore after a working them out for a least 5 days. I am not going until failure. (unless I failure equal the number of rep I need to do, ex: 6-8 reps.) My routine consist of squats, legpress, lunges, leg curls and sometimes when I have time split squats & leg extensions. I am doing 5X5 for squats and 5X8 with medium/lightweight for other exercises. Any idea?

[ironwill2008]

I don't know what's going on but my leg are always extremely sore after a working them out for a least 5 days. I am not going until failure. (unless I failure equal the number of rep I need to do, ex: 6-8 reps.) My routine consist of squats, legpress, lunges, leg curls and sometimes when I have time split squats & leg extensions. I am doing 5X5 for squats and 5X8 with medium/lightweight for other exercises.

Any idea?

Yes.

The best prescription for avoiding DOMS is increased training frequency; train your legs (and everything else, for that matter) more frequently.

[Corbachev]

Agree with the above. First time I did squats I couldn't walk properly for a week. Few more sessions later and rarely get doms in my legs and even if I do its miniscule. I bet the first time you trained chest or whatever you were sore.

[TheGymJim]

As above, higher frequency works pretty well. Since I started hitting everything twice a week my DOMS has almost disappeared!

[DemonCleaner101]

Its been said, more frequent squatting will help. But also, active recovery. My swim day is always right after lift day, because the no impact, full bodied nature of 2mi in the pool compliments the next day soreness of a full bodied lift very well
and I feel a lot better afterwards.

[machusenpai]

Are you sure that I should hit legs twice a week? They are so weak when they are recovering that I can barely stand while doing biceps without shaking like an old man with Parkinson... :/

[lockhrt999]

There are three things to minimize getting sore after leg workout.
1. Eating enough protein needed for recovery. If you don't get enough protein, you'll stay sore for longer.
2. training legs twice a week. This is the most important step.
3. Take as hot shower as you can bare after the leg day. And slightly massage them in shower.

I sometimes hit leg only once in week so that I could get some soreness.

[Redfish225]

If I squat more than once a week, I'd probably become a rapist. Working legs makes me super horny.

[DemonCleaner101]

Are you sure that I should hit legs twice a week? They are so weak when they are recovering that I can barely stand while doing biceps without shaking like an old man with Parkinson... :/

Yep, they will adapt.

[ironwill2008]

Are you sure that I should hit legs twice a week? They are so weak when they are recovering that I can barely stand while doing biceps without shaking like an old man with Parkinson... :/

You should be training your legs three times per week, as just about every good beginner program on the planet would prescribe.

[davisj3537]

As you increase frequency you decrease volume per workout. It will work itself out.

[RK42]

I always do about 10-12 minutes of light cardio after each workout. I think it really helps to loosen up your muscles, and get the lactic acid out. You may want to try that. Nothing too intense, just to get some blood pumping through the muscles. I like the elliptical, since it uses both arms and legs, and is no impact.

I'm more than twice your age, and work legs twice a week. It's very possible if you use volume and intensity that you can recover from.