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From 2 episodes

Why am I sore after some workouts and not others?

Answered by Nikkiey Stott and her guests · Updated

The short answer

Soreness varies because of what you did and how ready you were. Nikkiey explains that new exercises, a new training block, and more intensity (heavier weights, more reps, shorter rest) make soreness more likely, while sleep, hydration, yesterday's macros and your period affect recovery. Not being sore doesn't mean the workout didn't work.

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  1. Nikkiey on how sleep, water, macros and your period change how sore you get

    Plays from 7:36 · Ep. 18: Do You Need to Be Sore to Build Muscle After 40?

  2. Why DOMS comes and goes even years into lifting, and fades late in a block

    Plays from 8:02 · Ep. 147: Why Am I Still Sore After Workouts? DOMS Explained

  3. How heavier weights, new rep ranges and shorter rest bring soreness back

    Plays from 11:32 · Ep. 147: Why Am I Still Sore After Workouts? DOMS Explained

  4. Why not being sore doesn't mean you aren't building muscle

    Plays from 2:21 · Ep. 18: Do You Need to Be Sore to Build Muscle After 40?

The full answer

On Ep. 147, Nikkiey explains that DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) never fully goes away. She still gets it nine to ten years in. It shows up when you change something:

That is also why soreness often fades toward the last couple of weeks of a block. Your body has adapted to that stimulus.

  • You start a new block or add new exercises that hit muscles your last program didn't use much.
  • You raise the intensity through progressive overload, such as more weight, different reps or shorter rest between sets.
  • You add eccentric or tempo work.

The second piece is you on that particular day. On Ep. 18, Nikkiey says every workout depends on many variables. Did you sleep enough the night before? Are you hydrated? Did you hit your macros the day before? She says that last one can noticeably raise or lower your output in the workout and your recovery afterward. Your period plays a part too. Two sessions that look identical on paper can feel very different afterward.

What matters most is not to read soreness as a grade. Nikkiey points out that you break muscle down during the workout and build it during rest and recovery. Soreness can mean a muscle was challenged, but it doesn't cause growth. If you're adding sets, reps or weight and you aren't sore, she calls that great news: your body is adapting and you're getting stronger. She suggests tracking wins like the weight going up across the week instead. Mostly not being sore, she adds, can take years to reach, and it means you're doing the right thing.

From Nikkiey Stott and WarriorBabe's coaching. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.

Women also ask

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  • Strength Training for Women

    Does being sore mean I had a good workout?

    No. Nikkiey says soreness is not an indicator of a good workout or of progress. It mostly means the stimulus was new to your muscles. A good workout is one where the last few reps of each set are challenging and where, over weeks, you add reps, sets or weight.

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  • Strength Training for Women

    How heavy should I lift?

    Lift heavy enough that the last three reps of every set are challenging while your form stays good. Nikkiey says that if you finish a set thinking it was easy, the weight is too light. You don't need huge numbers. You need a weight that's hard for you, and you need to keep adding to it over time.

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  • Strength Training for Women

    How often should I change my workout program?

    Most of the time, run a program for four to eight weeks before changing it, and never less than four. Nikkiey's rule is to change for a reason, not because you're bored. Keep any lift that's still progressing, and don't run the same program unchanged for six months.

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