When will I stop getting DOMS from leg day?

[protorayish]

Background/context: I (23F) have been physically active all my life outside of injuries, mostly through soccer, running, and on-and-off weightlifting and HIIT classes. I’ve gotten into a more consistent weightlifting routine in the last 6 months or so. I lift approximately 4x/week in a routine with 2 upper-body days (back/biceps and chest/shoulders/triceps) and 2 lower-body days (one more quad-focused and the other more hamstring-focused). I also play soccer and/or run another 2-3 days/wk, which sometimes means I do 2 workouts a day in order to make room for a rest day or two per week (usually my 2-a-days are an upper-body weights day and playing pickup or going for a short run).

My issue is that despite not exactly being “new” to the gym or fitness generally, my DOMS after my quads-focused leg day is still pretty bad. It often lasts 3+ days and makes it difficult to play soccer or run, although I often still do these activities but just less intensely. My routine for these quads-focused leg days is as follows:

• hamstring curl machine (mostly a primer to get my legs engaged)
• barbell back squats
• superset: Bulgarian split squats into goblet squats
• quad press machine
• calf raises

Additional context: I generally go either to failure or within 1-2 reps of it, as I’m trying to build muscle. I also don’t track calories or macros but I prioritize protein and generally aim for around 120g/day. I’m 5’4 and weigh ~140lbs, which has been an increase from ~130lbs when I started my routine 6 months ago.

Any advice or explanation for why I’m still getting DOMS? I particularly notice it (unsurprisingly) in my quads and glutes after this leg day. And, I don’t generally get it for my other workout days, including my other hamstring-focused leg day. Do I need to modify my routine? Eliminate 2-a-days? Eat more? Or, is this something more specific/unique to me, where I’m just the “kind of person” who gets DOMS after this leg day? TIA!

 

[kelbel81]

@protorayish I always progress with weights on leg days and I always get DOMS few hours after my sleep.

But I'm wondering why my friends who's just got started hitting the gym doesn't feel the doms I felt specially the first day??? Did they train light? or am I just increasing the loads every leg day session?

 

[williamchambers]

@protorayish Don't go to failure

 

[sandiego1970]

@protorayish With as much lower body usage as you have I am going to throw it out that for weights you need less volume at the moment and focus on load. Like, 3 sets of 5-8. Going to failure is always going to make you sore, but doing some sets more at strength than hypertrophy for a few months might help you break through for more volume later. But with all the soccer and running you are definitely getting enough high volume body weight stuff.

Low volume, and with all the running some single leg exercises like split squat and one leg dead lifts would be my rec.

 

[dean91]

@protorayish Sounds like load and intensity is too high consistently. Try maintaining exercises week to week without changing any variables. You can also take a deload week every 3-5 weeks or so depending on recovery. Soreness is not a good indicator of progress and at some point you need to manage the fatigue accumulation

 

[dean91]

Oh and eat more

 

[sanoy]

@protorayish When you stop under hydrating and under serving your electrolytes. LMNT is nice and clean - you can get it on amazon

 

[jackerbee4]

@protorayish Similar to what others have said (many points already made)

• Break up leg day and do whole body workouts instead. The benefit of starting each workout with a heavy compound movement is that it has been shown to improve progress on everything else. the reason for this is thought to be that it stimulates the circulating hormones to a higher degree than simple upper body or core exercises do, so small exercises benefit from the hormones given off in big exercises.
• Anything eccentric creates more DOMS. That’s not to say you should not do eccentric - if you don’t, you lose gains faster. However, spacing out heavy eccentric exercises like squat (e.g., by moving to whole body workouts) will help. Remember, I’m not saying you do more, you just mix up what you do - the same leg load and upper body, but organized differently across the week.
• As others have mentioned, not going to failure. Creatine will let you get a few more reps in, which may or may not help if it just makes you push it more; but if you control your impulse to go to failure, it could help.

 

[katehasbrouck]

@protorayish If you are lifting heavy, you’re going to get doms, just all there is to it

 

[fellipe]

@protorayish If your quad workout is effectively once a week, that’s probably why you’re getting quad DOMS still. If you do compound lifts every workout so you’re exercising everything every workout b it only resting for 48 hours instead of a whole week I find the DOMS goes away after just a few workouts.

 

[ben95]

@protorayish In my experience...never. I've been lifting for over 10 years, eat really well (plenty of protein, no sugar, lots of veg) and supplement with creatine. I still get DOMS...every single time. I've just come to terms that its part of the journey to lifelong strength. I do find that if I keep moving (walks, jogs, etc) it eases it a little. I hope you find relief.

 

[joshhatescheese]

@ben95 I don’t think it is for all.
If I am in a regular lifting routine I just don’t get them.

 

[ben95]

@joshhatescheese Oh - I agree! I just wanted OP to know that there are some (like me) who seem to get them no matter what I try to prevent them.

 

[superjohn112]

@protorayish I’ve struggled with DOMS since I first started to workout. I’ve noticed I only get it really bad if I squat heavy, that’s why I hate doing squats and I avoid them at all costs when I can lol. Even with extra rest/recovery , sleep etc. they just kick my ass and make me tired for days. Started supplementing with magnesium glynicate and that’s been helping my soreness sooo much. Im also planning on just cutting back on weights, ive been reading so much about how it just causes so much fatigue, increases appetite and water retention, something i struggle with already without training hard. To maintain your muscle mass, you don’t need to weight train more than twice a week. Three days is a sweet spot for growth - your legs probably need more rest and stretching afterword is essential.

 

[tenesia]

@protorayish I get really bad DOMs too, if I take even a week off the gym the first session after is always a killer. Magnesium (glycinate) seems to help.

 

[mrbasson86]

@protorayish

I generally go either to failure or within 1-2 reps of it

I would say this is your problem, you’re going way too hard (especially because you’re sometimes doing 2 workouts per day, further decreasing how much rest you’re getting). In my experience, on a weeks long program you should be challenging yourself with more weight when you can, but should be completing your designated sets every time (ex. Like 3x10, no changes), with a little something still left in the tank.

You can of course work in going to failure at times, for certain exercises, but doing it constantly is going to result in overworking your muscles to the point that it’s negating the effort you’re putting in. I don’t really think it’s necessary to build muscle. IME if you’re lifting sustainably, the DOMS should only take about 1 rest day/non lifting day to go away, even on a very active schedule like yours.

 

[tinamarie27]

@protorayish Add more stretches at the end of a session and drink way more water

 

[jensearching]

@protorayish I get DOMS when I reach failure on leg pressing. Every time. It’s easier than any other leg exercise so I don’t realize I should stop sooner than I do.

 

[protorayish]

@jensearching This is really interesting - I wonder if something similar is going on with the goblet squat part of my superset, as I often push myself quite hard with these. Maybe removing this quad-focused movement from my routine will help my issue, since a few folks here have said quads may require fewer targeted sets.

 

[jensearching]

@protorayish I think if it were me I would super set different muscles if it’s to save time and see if doing the goblets separate from the Bulgarians help at all. Maybe there’s momentum keeping you from seeing it might be time to stop your set. Or just eliminate them.