“If you're not dying, you're not trying” ????

The Myth of Muscle Soreness: Why Feeling the Burn Isn't Always a Win

I’ll level with you...

I’ve probably made every mistake in the book when it comes to my own training. And I don’t mind admitting it.

When I first became interested in exercise, I joined a gym and fell in love with group fitness classes. In fact, I loved them so much I decided to become a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor. I got certified to teach nearly every group fitness class you can imagine.

Between my own workouts and all the classes I taught, I was doing more than 3-4 hours of exercise daily. I really wanted to get leaner and fitter, and I figured that doing more was the best and quickest way to accomplish that.

Oddly, despite all that exercise, my body wasn’t changing as I expected it to. As a matter of fact, when I had my body composition tested at one point, my body fat way higher than I expected, and my muscle tone was still not "popping".

I was so frustrated. Why wasn’t I getting more definition? Why wasn’t I getting stronger?

Turns out I’d been subscribing to some myths that are so pervasive in the fitness world that most of us (no matter how much education we have!) think they’re true — until we learn differently.

In addition to my personal experience, as a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and strength coach for over 25 years now, I’ve encountered thousands of women and men who've made these same mistakes.

If you’re working hard and struggling to get the results you want, could one of this myth be derailing your progress?

Let’s find out. In this article series, one by one, I’ll go over five common fitness myths and reveal the facts so you can finally get the results you’ve been working so hard for. Today's Myth is...

Myth 1: Muscle Soreness Equals Muscle Growth

“Ouch! I’m so sore; this must mean my muscles are growing, right?”

It's a sentiment echoed in gyms around the world. Many of us have been conditioned to believe that soreness after a workout is a sure sign that we're getting stronger and more muscular. But the truth isn’t always so straightforward.

Fact: Muscle soreness doesn't always equate to muscle growth.

Sure, feeling sore after a workout can give you a sense of accomplishment, but it's not necessarily an indication that your muscles are growing. In fact, muscle soreness, technically known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), is simply a result of the microscopic damage that occurs to your muscle fibers when you push them beyond their usual limits.

Your body then repairs these micro-tears, making your muscles bigger and stronger in the process. However, while soreness can be a byproduct of muscle growth, it’s not a reliable indicator of it.

Typically, being excessively sore is indicative of one or more of these four things:

• You did something new to you, or something you haven't done for a while, and your muscles aren’t used to working in this way.

• More stress than previously applied to the muscle. You used more weight, did more overall volume, or spent more time under tension.

• Prolonged eccentrics. You spent more time in the negative or "lowering" portion of an exercise, which can create more strain on your muscle fibers, leading to muscle soreness.

• Under-recovery. If you're constantly sore, you're likely not recovering well from your workouts. This could be under-recovery due to a lack of protein to repair muscle, lack of overall calories, lack of sleep, too much stress, etc.

Some people are genetically predisposed to experiencing more soreness than others. It's not uncommon for two people to perform the same workout and have vastly different levels of soreness afterward.

If you’re always extremely sore after workouts, consider paying attention to your recovery:

Are you eating sufficient protein?

Are you sleeping enough?

Being very sore after doing new-to-you exercises is normal, but that soreness should taper once your body gets used to your program. If you’re constantly very sore, look at the other aspects in your life that may be affecting your recovery.

Experiencing excessive soreness can sometimes indicate that you're overtraining or not allowing your body enough time to recover between workouts.

Conclusion

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that soreness equal a good workout, but that’s just not true. Quality workouts are about effective training, not how sore you feel the next day.

Focus on your overall fitness journey, listen to your body, and remember that recovery is just as important.

So, next time you're tempted to equate muscle soreness with progress, remember that while it's a natural part of the muscle-building process, it's not the only measure of success. Focus on consistent, challenging workouts, proper nutrition, and adequate rest, and the gains will follow.

Ready to Bust More Fitness Myths

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