DOMS – Can You Prevent It?

DOMS – Can You Prevent It? In this article we’ll define DOMS, look at the cause as well as the  symptoms. Then I will offer multiple solutions, from massage and ice baths to nutrition and supplements. If you’re ready, there’s no reason to wait, so let’s get started!

A Quick Recap!

DOMS Overview & Symptoms
Category	Details
Definition	Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a sore, achingfeeling in the muscles after unfamiliar or unaccustomedintense exercise.
Timeline	Typically starts 1 to 2 days after a workout, lasts several days,and fades during recovery.
Primary Cause	New exercise programs, and programs involving eccentric contractions (lengthening the muscle under a load, like loweringa squat or barbell).
Theories/Mechanisms	Inflammation, structural tissue/cell membrane damage,muscle spasms.
Key Symptoms	Dull muscle aches, limited range of motion, sensitivity to touch,stiffness, mild swelling, and temporary strength loss.

What Is DOMS?

DOMS, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, can be defined as a sore, aching, painful feeling in the muscles after unfamiliar or unaccustomed intense exercise. It’s called “delayed” because it typically starts a day or even two days after a workout, and lasts several days. It fades as you recover. (1, 2)

What Causes DOMS?

DOMS normally occurs after starting a new exercise program or a new program that involves lots of eccentric contractions. This type of contraction happens when the bar (or whatever you’re using) is being lowered. That means that the target muscle is lengthening while you’re controlling the load. Common examples include bringing a barbell down to your chest on a bench press, descending into a squat, or lowering yourself down from the top of a pull-up.

If you’re new to exercise, that will contribute to DOMS but as your body gets used to the stress of the workout, DOMS is progressively reduced. You’ll see this if you compare the level of soreness you feel now as opposed to the level you experienced after your first couple of workouts.

DOMS is not fully understood but some of the common theories suggest that its mechanism of action is related to inflammation or structural damage of the muscles, connective tissue, or cell membranes. Another suggestion is that muscle spasms may be the cause. 

Symptoms Of DOMS

Symptoms include:

• You feel a dull ache in your muscles.
• You have a limited range of motion.
• Moving them can cause pain.
• Your muscles are sensitive to the touch.
• You have less strength, which is a temporary problem.
• Your muscles are stiff.
• You may experience mild swelling of your muscles.  

DOMS – Can You Prevent It?

The Big Question! Here’s the answer – first of all, generally speaking, DOMS eases on its own after 3-5 days. Second, you cannot completely prevent Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, but you can reduce its severity by easing into new activities. (2)

Prevention & Relief Strategies
Strategy	Actionable Steps
Reduction (Before/During)	• Start slow: Gradually build intensityusing progressive overload.• Warm up: Do 5–10 minutes of dynamic movements,plus light warmup sets.• Stay hydrated: Drink enough water to optimize muscle function.• Rest: Allow 2–3 days before training the same muscle group,and take 1–2 complete days off for nervous system recovery.
Relief (Post-Workout)	• Active recovery: Low-intensity movement(walking, cycling, swimming) to pump blood.• Foam rolling: Gently release tight knots and improve mobility.• Temperature therapy: Warm Epsom salt baths for stiffness;ice packs/cold baths for sharp pain and swelling.• Gentle stretching: Light movements to keep joints mobilewithout straining your muscles.

Ways to Reduce DOMS

• Start slow – Don’t just jump right into max intensity, especially if you’re new to working out. Build up your workout intensity and weight used gradually over time by using the principle of progressive overload. 
• Warm up – Spend 5 to 10 minutes doing dynamic movements and light cardio before you work out. Also, don’t forget to do several light warmup sets of your first exercise. Never  just jump into your heaviest set cold!
• Stay hydrated – Make sure you’re drinking enough water to help your muscles function optimally. Hydration also supports performance and recovery.
• Rest between sessions – Give your muscle groups enough recovery time before you train them hard again. You should be thinking 2-3 days before working the same muscle group. You should also be thinking 1-2 complete days off for nervous system recovery.

Progressive Overload – The Key To Starting Slow!

One of the keys to preventing DOMS is to not jump into an ultra-intense workout – work up to it using progressive overload. I’ve been preaching this timeless principle for quite some time. Progressive overload is the key to progress that every lifter, especially those new to training, should be using. As noted above, it is the act of gradually increasing the intensity you place on your muscles. There are several ways you can utilize it, but most lifters see it as consistently adding weight to the bar. 

Why Does It Matter?

This is one of the most important principles of serious lifting. You will not make any meaningful progress if you do the same routine with the same weight and the same number of reps over and over again. On the other hand, if you follow this principle you will gradually progress towards your goal. It’s all about following logical steps of progression. (3)

Put More Weight On The Bar!

This is the traditional way to use progressive overload. By gradually adding weight, you will gain strength and mass. I would say that as the average lifter puts in serious time working out, they expect (if they don’t, they should be) to get stronger as a result. In fact, the majority of lifting authorities advise using the principle of progressive overload right from the start. That’s because it is critical to successfully building a foundation of strength and size.

How Often Should You Increase Weight?

In many of my recent articles, the strength training programs advise weekly jumps in the 2.5 to 5 pound range. Some of them have guidelines built in if you can’t progress that fast. While I would say most lifters should be able to add 2.5 pounds to the bar every week, some programs think in terms of 3-4 weeks. If you’re following one of these programs, follow it 100% – your poundages will go up. 

What if you aren’t using one of the programs? There are  a few answers. Some “experts” suggest that when your current rep numbers start to feel easy, add 10% more weight. That’s a little too undisciplined for me, so I do not recommend it. 

One common and practical way is to use the 2 x 2 rule. This simple rule says you should increase the weight by 10% ( for large muscles) and 5% (for smaller muscles) once you can perform 2 additional reps beyond your rep goal for your last set for 2 workouts in a row. 

5 Effective Ways to Relieve DOMS

You can reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) by increasing blood circulation, primarily by staying active with light movement. There is no instant cure, but this approach eases discomfort while your muscles recover. Also, utilize the following tips: 

1. Active Recovery – As noted, do light, low-intensity movement like walking, easy cycling, or gentle swimming to pump blood into sore muscles.
2. Foam Rolling – Use a foam roller or massage ball to gently release tight knots and improve your range of motion.
3. Temperature Therapy – Take a warm bath with Epsom salts to relax stiffness. You can also use cold packs or ice baths to numb sharp pain and swelling.
4. Hydration – Drink plenty of water. You can also use hydration supplements (suggestions coming soon).
5. Gentle Stretching – Perform light dynamic or static stretches to keep your joints mobile without straining your recovering muscle tissue.

Nutritional Tips

Beyond the usual workout nutritional strategies of high protein, clean carbs (mostly complex with simple carbs in the hours around your workout), and healthy fats, go with foods that are anti-inflammatory: (4)

1. Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, oranges, and grapes.
2. Vegetables: Spinach, kale, broccoli, and peppers.
3. Healthy Fats: Extra virgin olive oil, avocados, almonds, and walnuts.
4. Fatty Fish: Salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines (rich in omega-3s).
5. Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans. 
6. Spices & Beverages: Turmeric, ginger, green tea, and coffee

Supplement Strategies

EAAs

I suggest using an EAA supplement, such as NutraBio EAA Pure. An EAA supplement contains the 9 Essential Amino Acids the body cannot make. BCAAs, or branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine) make up 3 of the 9 essential amino acids. 

EAA supplements with a high concentration of BCAAs are commonly taken before, during, and after a workout to support recovery as well as muscle growth. They may help to alleviate DOMS by supporting a reduction in muscle protein breakdown, increasing muscle protein synthesis, and enhanced scavenging of free radicals. (5)

Creatine

This sensational supplement helps ease DOMS by supporting recovery. I suggest AllMax Nutrition Creatine, featuring patented CreaSyn® micronized creatine monohydrate. This version is 99.9% pure, making it one of the most pure creatine products on the market.  

Antioxidants

These compounds help neutralize the free radicals and oxidative stress that build up in muscles after a tough workout. (6)

Collagen 

Collagen is rich in specific amino acids – such as proline, hydroxyproline, and glycine – which your body uses to rebuild damaged connective tissues and fibers. Your muscles are wrapped in connective tissue called fascia. Strengthening the fascia helps your muscles handle stress better during your workouts. Finally, some studies suggest collagen acts as an antioxidant, which might help calm the intense inflammation that makes your muscles hurt after working out. (7)

Omega 3’s 

Among many other important benefits, recent research suggests that omega-3s help ease the inflammation associated with DOMS. (8)

Hydration

The importance of staying hydrated goes without saying. Besides water, you can use specific hydration supplements, as noted earlier. NutraBio EAA Pure contains 500 mg of coconut water. In addition, I recommend GAT Nitraflex Hydration for those lifters that want a more concentrated hydration formula.

Two Common Questions

Question # 1 – Does soreness mean I’m building muscle?

Many people associate DOMS as a sign of a good workout and potential muscle growth. However, the general consensus is that DOMS does not automatically guarantee gains. To be clear, however, muscle damage is one of the 3 mechanisms of muscle growth. This mainly occurs when experienced lifters use extreme eccentric training as part of their workouts. This is not the same thing as a less experienced lifter getting sore because they did a new or different routine. 

Question # 2 – Can I still work out even though I’m sore?

You can, but you may not have a very effective workout. Think about it: your range of motion may be limited, which will in turn limit your rep performance. Stiff muscles will also hinder your performance. Not to mention if your strength is sub-par, you won’t be training at your peak. It makes more sense to wait until most of the soreness has gone away. 

Summary

Can you prevent DOMS? As we have seen, the short answer is no – but that doesn’t mean you can’t ease the pain associated with it. Follow the tips presented in this article and you will lessen the discomfort of DOMS. Then stop by illpumpyoupup.com and grab the supplements that will help. Once you’ve done that, focus on recovery!

References:

1. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Delayed_Onset_Muscle_Soreness
2. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/delayed-onset-muscle-soreness
3. Plotkin, D., Coleman, M., Van Every, D., Maldonado, J., Oberlin, D., Israetel, M., Feather, J., Alto, A., Vigotsky, A. D., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2022). Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations. PeerJ, 10, e14142. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14142
4. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/foods-that-fight-inflammation
5. Fouré, A., & Bendahan, D. (2017). Is Branched-Chain Amino Acids Supplementation an Efficient Nutritional Strategy to Alleviate Skeletal Muscle Damage? A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 9(10), 1047. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9101047
6. Ranchordas, M. K., Rogerson, D., Soltani, H., & Costello, J. T. (2017). Antioxidants for preventing and reducing muscle soreness after exercise. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 12(12), CD009789. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009789.pub2
7. Inacio, P. A. Q., Gomes, Y. S. M., de Aguiar, A. J. N., Lopes-Martins, P. S. L., Aimbire, F., Leonardo, P. S., Sá Filho, A. S., & Lopes-Martins, R. A. B. (2024). The Effects of Collagen Peptides as a Dietary Supplement on Muscle Damage Recovery and Fatigue Responses: An Integrative Review. Nutrients, 16(19), 3403. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193403
8. https://lewis.gsu.edu/2022/01/06/new-study-finds-omega-3-fatty-acids-can-reduce-muscle-soreness-from-exercise/

By Jim Brewster