DOMS – What The F**k is DOMS ?
On Friday we were lucky to have a visit from our mentor Travis Jones. Travis owns 4 gyms in Australia and is intent on helping us do something similar in Ireland over the next couple of years. Travis is an extremely successful man and his gyms are based on one thing – results hence the name RBT(Results Based Training) – Our attitude is exactly the same and from January our programmes will be 100% money back guaranteed. So what’s all this got to do with DOMS ? Travis decided to pop out to ProFitness Gym Balbriggan for a workout so I decided to beast him with an arms session then received this Facebook Message below!
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DOMS is a word that really only trainers understand but in normal peoples language it means Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. What is it and why do you get it ? Following an extended layoff from exercise or doing exercises you are not accustomed to leads to soreness/stiffness in most people. Some soreness (temporary) may last for a few hours only after exercise but DOMS appears later and can last for 3-4 days.
The session I gave Travis was a monster Arms Giant Set with a lot of Eccentric actions which science tells us is one of the biggest causes of DOMS. Eccentric essentially means the “easy” part of the exercise – so in a bench press or squat it would be the lowering of the weight and in a lat pull down it would be when your are letting the bar go back to the top of the machine. Because I will only see him a few times of year I wanted to beast him! But this approach is not wise if you are beginning training.
This is one of the reasons why many people who are new to exercise to put it bluntly, give up. They are pushed so hard and a day or two later the DOMS hits – i’m sure you have all experienced the feeling of DOMS! On our Large Group Fat Loss Training we found that this was a problem with new members as it was pay as you go. Lots found the first weeks sessions very hard and then experienced DOMS a day or two later. To help combat this problem we have a special christmas gift of Two Weeks Ladies Fat Loss Training for Free to the first new 20 clients who have never tried this training with us. You can get yours here – https://www.profitness.ie/christmas-giveaway/
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Exercise is actually proven to be the most effective means of alleviating pain during DOMS. Athletes who must train on a daily basis should be encouraged to reduce the intensity and duration of exercise for 1-2 days following intense DOMS-inducing exercise to avoid injury. Alternatively, exercises targeting less affected body parts should be encouraged in order to allow the most affected muscle groups to recover. I would advise that Eccentric exercises should be introduced progressively over a period of 1 or 2 weeks at the beginning of a new training regime.
A study in Australia showed that muscle stretching does not reduce DOMS in young healthy adults(contrary to popular belief). Massage and accupuncture will also not significantly make DOMS go away and some studies say this can make it worse!! And from a health perspective I would avoid Anti Inflamatories.
Things that do work – compressive sleeves and contrast bathing seem to be the two best things for DOMS. Contrast Water Therapy (CWT) aka contrast baths is proven to work. I find it is best for lower body as it does get quite unbearable on upper body. So what do you do? – 60 seconds cold (8-10 degrees) followed straight away by 2 mins in hot water (40-42 degrees) alternating for 15 mins. Antioxidants appear to have a potential in the treatment of DOMS! If all else fails you’ll just have to Man Up and get on with it!!!!!!
So when DOMS strikes you can tell all your family and friends exactly what it is if they think you are walking funny!! If you found this article interesting and think that other people would like it then please share it on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In or Twitter below!
Thanks for reading!
