When you hit the gym and feel that familiar ache the next day, it can be tempting to equate muscle soreness with effective training. However, while soreness might feel like a sign of hard work, it’s not necessarily a reliable indicator of muscle growth or fitness progress. In this article, we’ll dive into the science of soreness, explain why it's not the best measure of progress, and provide actionable tips for training for muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth). Plus, we’ll explore key strategies to enhance performance and achieve your fitness goals faster.
The Myth of Muscle Soreness
Muscle soreness, known scientifically as "Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness" (DOMS), is the discomfort you feel 24 to 48 hours after a workout. DOMS is caused by microtears in the muscle fibers due to unfamiliar or intense exercise. While these microtears are necessary for muscle growth, the degree of soreness you experience doesn’t necessarily correlate with how much muscle you're building.
Here’s why:
First, Soreness is Inconsistent: Some workouts can cause intense soreness, while others may not cause any at all, even if the latter is more effective for muscle growth. The body adapts to certain exercises, so over time, you may stop feeling sore from the same routine, even though you're still making gains.
Second, Soreness is Influenced by Novelty: New or unfamiliar exercises tend to create more soreness. However, it’s not the novelty that drives growth; it's progressive overload (more on this later).
Third, Soreness Can Limit Recovery: Chasing soreness can sometimes lead to overtraining, reducing the time your muscles have to recover, which is essential for growth. Rest and recovery are just as critical as training for muscle hypertrophy.
So This Begs the Question, What Really Drives Muscle Hypertrophy?
If soreness isn’t the best marker of progress, what is?
Muscle hypertrophy is primarily driven by three key factors:
1. Mechanical Tension: This refers to the amount of force a muscle produces during resistance training. Lifting heavy weights with proper form creates the necessary tension to stimulate muscle growth.
2. Muscle Damage: While muscle damage contributes to hypertrophy, it's the repair process—not the degree of soreness—that leads to stronger, larger muscles. Over time, your muscles adapt to repair themselves more efficiently, often resulting in less soreness without compromising growth.
3. Metabolic Stress: The “pump” feeling during high-rep sets is an example of metabolic stress. This build-up of byproducts in the muscle cells signals the body to grow in order to handle future demands.
So Here's How to Train for Hypertrophy (Without Chasing Soreness)
Now that we’ve covered the science behind soreness and muscle growth, here’s how you can structure your workouts to maximize hypertrophy:
First adopt a program with sufficient Progressive Overload: This is the cornerstone of hypertrophy. You need to gradually increase the stress placed on your muscles to force them to grow. This can be done by lifting heavier weights, increasing reps, or decreasing rest time between sets. Using a modern tracking tool like the Unify Mind Body Wellness App to stick to a program that increases in these areas over time has been helpful for many of our clients. You can get a customized program by contacting us directly or shooting and email to Hello@unifymindbody.com.
Train within your Optimal Rep Range which means, while strength training focuses on low reps and heavy weights, hypertrophy typically responds best to moderate rep ranges (8-12 reps). However, the key is training close to failure, meaning you can no longer perform a rep with good form by your third set and within that moderate rep range. If you are new to strength training finding your 1 rep Max can be helpful when first starting out.
Track both Volume and Frequency. Volume refers to the total number of sets and reps performed in a workout. To maximize growth, aim for 10-20 sets per muscle group per week. Training each muscle group two to three times per week can also enhance growth. But remember adequate recovery is key so wait 48-72 hours in between muscle groups like back and bis or shoulders and tris.
We recommend exercise variety as well as consistancy: While you don’t need to completely change your routine all the time, incorporating different exercises that target muscles from various angles can help stimulate growth. And commit to a program that grows with you every 6-12 weeks.
Above all else proper recovery is key. Muscles grow during rest, not during the workout. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and allowing 48-72 hours between training the same muscle group. Nutrition, particularly protein intake, also plays a vital role in recovery and hypertrophy. Much of what we do here at Unify is finding a holistic approach to enhance our energy and confidence naturally. Timing your nutrition is key too so be sure to ask us about our nutrition and meal planning services.
Let's Cover Some Helpful Tips to Enhance Performance
1. Warm-Up and Mobility Work: Warming up properly prepares your muscles and joints for the workout, reducing the risk of injury and improving your performance. Include dynamic stretches and mobility exercises to enhance range of motion and muscle activation. At Unify Mind Body we combine ancient yogic wisdom with modern science so your warmups are aligned with your work out and lifestyle.
2. Focus on Form, Not Just Weight: Proper technique is essential for effective muscle recruitment and injury prevention. Lifting with bad form can lead to imbalances and overuse injuries, hampering progress. Evan if you've had an injury, using corrective exercises and proper form can help you build strength to protect the area of pain. If an injury has been holding you back perhaps it's time for an in persona session to asses your form and mobility.
3. Track Your Progress: Keep a workout log to track the weights, sets, and reps you perform for each exercise. This will help you ensure you’re consistently applying progressive overload. Use a notebook, spreadsheet, or our wellness app.
4. Prioritize Nutrition: Eating for muscle growth requires a calorie surplus (consuming more calories than you burn). Make sure you’re getting enough protein, carbohydrates, and fats to fuel your workouts and promote recovery. We use an "If It Fits Your Macro" meal planning program which allows you to eat foods you love, go out to eat if desired and also hit your muscle building and fat burning goals.
5. Mind-Muscle Connection: Focusing on the muscle you're working during an exercise can improve the quality of each rep. This connection helps you recruit more muscle fibers and can lead to better gains over time. We love combining mindfulness into our clients daily routines which helps with both physical and mental growth and development.
6. Rest and Recovery: Your muscles need time to repair and grow. Avoid overtraining by incorporating rest days into your routine and considering active recovery methods like stretching, foam rolling, or light cardio on rest days. With a complete program through our app you will be guaranteed to hit all of these important areas.
Conclusion: The Real Indicator of Progress
While feeling sore after a workout might feel satisfying, it’s not the most reliable indicator of progress. Instead of focusing on soreness, shift your attention to the key principles that drive muscle hypertrophy: progressive overload, proper form, adequate volume, and consistent recovery. By training smart, not just hard, you’ll see better long-term results without chasing unnecessary soreness. Keep refining your approach, track your progress, and focus on performance and recovery, and the muscle gains will follow.
If you have any questions, we are offering new members a complimentary Holistic Health Audit to answer any of your questions and concerns with a qualified Holistic health coach . 