Doms

davyjose

Back in the gym all this week, after being pretty much out all this year (one stupid injury after another), anyway I worked hard on the big 3 - my legs are pretty much recovered, but my chest is in agony. Took RAM during/after each session, but it's still a killer. Anyone know of any good tips to get over this? I've been stretching every half hour or so, hoping this would help, but it just hurts.

Superdub2

whats the big three? well unfortunately thats just one of the perks from hitting the gym for the first time in a while, i wudnt worry too much unless you feel so sore that you might be injured, mybe have a nice hot bath or jacuzzi, otherwise i think you just have to grin and bear for a couple of days and then if u hit the gym again u shud be fine!

davyjose

Squats, Dead, bench. Ah yeah, its just a pain in the ar$e. It'll clear up, but I wanted to see if there was any god advice out there.

BaZmO*

Vitamin C is supposed to help, but personally I just take it easy if I haven't been to the Gym in a while, been bitten by Doms waaaay too many times.

I get it really bad when I haven't been in a while and I do any work on my Biceps. I don't actually get it too bad in the actual Bicep, moreso where the muscles connect the Bicep to the Forearm. Sometimes it takes up to a week to able to extend my arms fully.

Oh, I also get it bad in my Hamstrings.

BrianD3

Nurofen tablets should relieve it somewhat. These contain a low dose of ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory. I think it's OK to resort to tablets once in a while but if you find yourself using them regularly then something is wrong.

i've never been in agony with DOMS myself, find it quite pleasant in fact! Have gotten muscle spasm in my upper back a couple of times though which was not at all pleasant and trying to stretch made it worse.

Hanley

I generally just work thru it til it goes away. I've a pretty good volume tolerance and I can be a pig headed ba$tard at times to so that helps.

Not something I'd recommend of course. But if you're gonna be doing high rep work and pushing to failure DOM's is something you'll have to learn to live with.

I wouldn't stretch, that just amkes it worse for me. Do something light tp pump the blood in. Maybe 15-20 rep flys with a weight you could for 25-30 reps.

HardyEustace

Well one thing I think that works is a cold bath for ten minutes after training or apparently sitting in a luke warm bath and letting it go cold.

It works for me! its horrible though. I use it for my legs after running so wrap up in a fleece and a hat on top and then hop into the bath (the things we do!)

If its any consolation once had DOMS so bad I thought I was going to gnaw my leg off to stop the pain. It was after going back to training post-injury and newbie tag rugby training. The pain is always the worst on the second day, so it does sound like you're on your second day. It does get better after that. I found a swim also helps.

daveirl

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eggie

I'd rather have DOMS than nothing, at least you're improving yourself physically.

I find a day swimming rather than the gym a good loosener. Dont overdo it first couple weeks back. If its really bad tske s couple days off from the weights and do a little light cardio to get the blood pumping and regenerate the heat in the affected muscles.

Eating and resting properly are also key recovery tools.

davyjose

daveirl wrote:

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Ha ha, I know man - my chest is a bit better, but myarms won't straighten now

Kinetic^

Vitamin C and try get your protein levels up as well and also what Daveirl said, it can be like your initiation back into the gym

Sleepy

Sauna and a plunge pool ftw!

kevpants

Ice cold (or as cold as you can get) bath after exercise is the way forward. Make sure the affected limb is fully submergerged and sit there until you go numb from the cold. I suffer really badly with tendonitis in one of my knees and without this method after every run or every squat session I am quite liable to just collapse under my own weight due to the stiffness and pain.

I've been trying to outdo my personal best at hindu squats recently, I skipped my cold bath after a recent session and I kid you not it was a full 7 days before the aching in my thighs went away. I'm getting old.

Try it you will notice a difference. Kiss your genitals goodbye though.

hunnymonster

and if you can indeed kiss your genitals...... naw, that's a whole other thread;)

TerrorFirmer

Anywho, what's the norm for doms in your arms? When I work on my arms I usually go until I can barely lift a 2kg weight. But the next day, it usually feels like I haven't even been training (well, maybe slightly, but not that noticable...).

Dr4gul4

Strange i find my self in the same boat as you Havok.

However once i've finished my Arms and shoulders work out im totaly wrecked and my arms are usually quite pumped

Patto

It would be interesting to do a poll and see where people do regularly get DOMs. Not the DOMS after not training for a long period of time. I mean DOMs that you always get every time you do a certain excersise.

For me:
1. I have never done Squats and not got DOMs for the full 48hrs afterwards, never ever, not even once:( Concentrated in my hips and backside and a few other muscles in around the groin and hip area I don't even know how to stretch. I never get DOMs in my quads or hamstrings doing squats.
2. Lunges, dito.
3. Roll outs still give me a bit of DOMs in the abs but that is improving and I think its a good thing.
4. Deadlifts occasionally give me DOMs in my traps, never in my legs or lower back though.
5. Rows, chins and lat pull downs often give me DOMS in my lats and upper back.

Where I never get DOMs:
1. Never in my chest or shoulders
2. Quads or hammers
3. Calves
4. Bis, Tris or fore arms (though they can be nearly falling off after a training session)

In conclusion: I am suseptable to DOMs in around my hips and backside mainly and a bit in my back muscles. I don't know what this means. Maybe with the hips and glutes its a flexibility thing. Maybe the back muscles are more susceptable to DOMS than others.

Dr4gul4

ll the only time i really get Doms is after my leg's work out, squats and Deadlifts totaly feck me up.

Also my shoulders were a little sore after this weeks workout, but nothing to bad.

Hanley

Where do I get DOMs....

Hamstrings
Triceps (only from extenstions and not presses)
Quads (the odd time)
Chest

The biggest factors with me are whether or not I'm doing high reps eg 10+ (that's guarunteed DOMs) and whether or not I eat big postworkout (big eating = no DOMs)

jester77

Depends on the workout if I get DOMS. At the moment my legs are getting serious DOMS, only getting over last Thursdays workout today
I hardly ever get any in my shoulders though!

brianthebard

I don't think I've ever gotten doms in my chest, although I want to change that! I definitely get them in my calves, especially after high reps as Hanley said. I also get them in my back and arms. I haven't been to the gym in two weeks between essays, exams and chest infection, but I'm planning to crucify myself on friday. Doms for all!

daveirl

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