Not really that sore??? Odd question...

[heathglisson]

Hey there all! New to the forums.

I have a very unique question and wasn't really sure where to post it. Well pretty odd questions actually...

I am totally pushing myself in my workouts. I am making good gains and am seeing my ability to lift more weight increase on most weeks. However, I just noticed my DOMS or just any general soreness, well it just isn't there.

Now, full disclosure. I am 44. I am about 6 weeks in on testosterone replacement therapy for one. I get anywhere from 175 to 205 in protein daily. I take multi-vitamins, B12 vitamins, and Resveratrol. A few other things in there. I do get fairly decent rest as well.

Is this normal? I just thought I would live the sore life forever. Sure I am a TAD sore but it is nothing like it was in the beginning. I am worried that even though I am pushing myself and gaining, that maybe I am doing something incorrectly? Aren't I supposed to be dragging a$$ everyday and hurting?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

[oldandintheway]

DOMS aren’t a regular thing with me. Occasionally when I switch up workouts or really push a lot more in a session.

[HayZues Christi]

Testosterone helps big time in recovery, but doms are usually only felt in bigger muscles.


If you are feeling no soreness after a heavy leg day, yeah you should push yourself a little harder.

[heathglisson]

Testosterone helps big time in recovery, but doms are usually only felt in bigger muscles.


If you are feeling no soreness after a heavy leg day, yeah you should push yourself a little harder.

Ok gotcha. There is some soreness, but it isn't bad at all. Time to kick it up another notch or two!

[ElrondHubbard]

Ok gotcha. There is some soreness, but it isn't bad at all. Time to kick it up another notch or two!

Not really. DOMS is most likely a response to untrained or idled muscles. Once you're working them regularly, it SHOULD go away. Minor soreness after a hard session is normal. Real pain isn't.

The idea that you need to punish yourself to make progress is a myth. What that really is, is a recipe for injury.

Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint. It's the development of sustainable habits that will carry you for a lifetime of jacktitude.

Don't burn out. Eat healthy, sleep healthy, and train healthy. Yeah, it should hurt occasionally. But not most of the time.

[MrCarrot]

The only time I get doms now is if I do a new exercise that I haven't done before, even then it's quite rare.

[TimKridel]

I am totally pushing myself in my workouts. I am making good gains and am seeing my ability to lift more weight increase on most weeks. However, I just noticed my DOMS or just any general soreness, well it just isn't there.

Now, full disclosure. I am 44.

I was 44 when I started working out again, and I didn't have soreness, either. Five years later, I still don't, even though I'm lifting a lot more than I did and for more reps. I had the same concern as you, and sometimes still wonder about it. But I've decided that the lack of soreness is normal for me. Good luck!

[induced_drag]

but doms are usually only felt in bigger muscles.


If you are feeling no soreness after a heavy leg day, yeah you should push yourself a little harder.

Dont listen to this garbage. Soreness is not an indicator of a good workout. Your incidence of DOMS will decrease significantly over time.

I actually never get sore. (almost never). I have been this way for years. I miss DOMS. But again, I dont use them to gauge the quality of my workouts.

I have had 100's of heavy leg days without soreness after. Maybe I should have pushed myself harder j/k. Stupid advice is stupid.

[CommitmentRulz]

Dont listen to this garbage. Soreness is not an indicator of a good workout. Your incidence of DOMS will decrease significantly over time.

This ^^^ (You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to induced_drag again.)

OP, if you are consistently getting sore, you are probably waiting too long before hitting that muscle (group) again. I can get a little DOMS from a week off. So guys who do a split only hitting a muscle once a week MAY think they are REALLY busting it in the gym when in reality it's the length of time off before hitting the muscles again instead of a killer session.

[John Prophet]

DOMS can be a hotly debated topic (as u noticed). Its basically because muscle damage itself is hotly debated. for a while it was the only growth mechanism taught but now it sort of ranges from being "one of the ways" to induce growth to being almost dismissed

my personal take is that its not always necessary to "get sore." its mostly going to hit you on new movements or perhaps like on certain bodyparts or exercises. My hams and inner groin (adductors?) usually get pretty sore but most other stuff wont unless i do some new thing.

Stretch position stuff tends to bring more DOMS imo.

all that being said, I do think it MIGHT be helpful to go thru certain phases where some damage/DOMS is induced. This is basically all about satellite cell proliferation etc etc.

a nice speculative article I enjoyed https://www.strongerbyscience.com/gr...-lifter-again/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4viclSqlDZs

[tblodg15]

Of course I was sore occasionally when I first started lifting a little over 3 years ago. But when I went to a full body program and hitting each muscle group 3X per week I was never sore! I have backed off some over the last 6 months and am now doing full body 2X per week and I am back to feeling some occasional soreness. But I agree with the others that being sore is not an indication of the quality of the workout. If you are adding weight or reps using progressive overload with a reasonable frequency then I would not worry about not feeling DOMS.