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For years, people have linked soreness to progress. But here’s the truth: being sore after a workout isn’t a reliable sign that you trained effectively. In fact, the absence of soreness might actually mean you’re training smarter.
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) typically shows up 12 to 48 hours after a workout. It’s caused primarily by unfamiliar movements, high eccentric loading, or sudden changes in training volume or intensity. DOMS is a normal inflammatory response to micro-damage in muscle tissue — not a badge of progress.
As you become more consistent with your training, your body gets better at recovering. That’s a good thing. It means your muscles aren’t shocked by your workouts anymore. Adaptation reduces soreness even as your performance improves.
Lifting with better technique often spreads the load more evenly across muscles and joints. This can reduce excessive eccentric damage and decrease the soreness response.
Following a well-structured program with proper volume, frequency, and rest can limit unnecessary damage while still building strength. You don’t have to crawl out of the gym to make gains.
Soreness is not a prerequisite for hypertrophy. According to research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, muscle growth is primarily driven by mechanical tension — not muscle damage or inflammation.
In fact, excessive soreness may interfere with performance, recovery, and adherence. If you're sore for days, you might be doing too much too soon, limiting your ability to train consistently at high quality.
These metrics are far more valuable than how sore you feel the next day. And if you're looking for structure and progress, working with an online coach can make a huge difference.
While soreness isn’t required, it can be a sign of effective overload when introducing a new stimulus. For example, if you’ve never done Bulgarian split squats and you suddenly add them, some soreness is expected — but not necessary for progress.
It becomes a problem when soreness interferes with movement quality or training consistency. Your goal isn’t to chase pain — it’s to chase progress.
No. It likely means your body is adapting well. As long as you're getting stronger or building muscle over time, soreness is irrelevant.
Not necessarily. You might just have done something new or used poor technique. Quality progression is a better indicator than discomfort.
Light soreness is fine. Severe soreness may mean you should adjust volume, rest longer, or switch to different muscle groups that session.
If you’re unsure whether your training is moving you forward, it might be time for outside guidance. At Iron Alliances, we connect you with coaches who can build a program tailored to your schedule, goals, and recovery ability. No fluff — just progress.
Also check out our post on what to track in the gym for more on how to measure results that actually matter.
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