Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness - Friend or Foe?
Recently I started introducing strength training 2x per week to my regime. Exercises now consist of pull-ups and ab work, and I plan to start doing other exercises (lower body too). However, my muscles are sore because I work my reps until failure, typically.
I should mention that I swim 5x per week.
Do you think this soreness will tend to go away once I'm better conditioned with weights? I still plan to do my reps until failure to help build strength. Also, should I just swim hard while still sore?
Generally, how do folks typically handle the combination of strength training DOMS and swim practice?
Former Member
"If you are using muscle that have not done these exercises before then , yes they will be sore and as then get used to it will reduce soreness."
Thanks Orca. Hopefully over time I'll have less soreness. I'd like to keep strength training part of my fitness plans.
"Why lift to failure?"
No Pain, No Gain :weightlifter:
If you are using muscle that have not done these exercises before then , yes they will be sore and as then get used to it will reduce soreness. Why lift to failure?
The recommendation seems to be that you get maximum strength effect if you go to failure. Probably true, but it seems to me the closer you get to failure the more likely you will have a problem with form and increased injury risk. I lift until I feel my form may suffer and stop there. YMMV
Thanks Orca. Higher reps does make sense. I think I read something today that just as much strength can be acquired with higher reps vs lower. Just need to work in 2x per week now.
I think that if you do numbered sets rather than failure ,you might feel better about yourself also.
Choose a number for each lift and the do 3 sets of 20 or 30 rather than submit to "failure"
Swimming is a repetition sport not to failure sport I M O
Thanks Allen. I consider form important too. I'll keep this is in mind when doing my exercises. I'm going to the gym/pool this morning and won't go to failure because I have a group workout in a couple of days and I don't want to be sore during the workout.
This might be a good strategy for me. Only going to failure on occasion. Maybe even doing negatives but I haven't looked into the benefits of this particular approach yet.
