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Posted by u/briankoel··Effortpost

Is Soreness a Reliable Marker of Progress in Lifting?

TL;DR: Soreness isn't a reliable indicator of progress; focus on performance metrics instead.

As someone who has spent the last five years powerlifting, I've often found myself questioning the relationship between soreness and actual progress in my lifts. The general consensus seems to be that if you're sore, you must have stimulated your muscles enough to promote growth. But is this really true?

When considering the concept of soreness, we typically refer to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), which is that achy feeling you get after a hard workout. It often follows intense sessions, particularly when trying new exercises or increasing intensity. But here's where it gets tricky: soreness doesn't always correlate with muscle growth or strength gains. For instance, you can have a great training session without experiencing soreness, yet still improve your 1RM in the squat or bench press.

To better analyze this, I looked at my training log and noted periods of high soreness versus periods of low soreness. I found that my PRs didn't necessarily align with how sore I felt the following day. There were weeks when I crushed my lifts and barely felt a thing, and others where I could hardly walk yet saw minimal improvement in my overall performance metrics.

In terms of programming, if you're utilizing a method like 5/3/1 or nSuns, the focus should really be on progressive overload and ensuring you hit your MEV (Minimum Effective Volume) and MAV (Maximum Adaptive Volume) rather than relying on soreness as a guide. If you're progressing in weight or reps, or if your RPE is decreasing over time, that should be the primary indicator of your gains, not the soreness you feel.

So, how do you guys view soreness? Is it a valid marker of your training effectiveness or just a side effect of pushing hard in the gym? I'm curious about your experiences with this.

TL;DR: Soreness isn't always a reliable indicator of progress; performance metrics should be the focus.

6 comments

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u/squat_and_sip·

This is so true! I've done yoga after tough lifting sessions and felt super sore the next day, but that doesn't always mean I've made progress. Sometimes, my best lifts come when I'm feeling relatively fresh. Focusing on mindfulness during my workouts helps me track my progress in a different way. Lifting isn't just about the pain, it's also about the joy of moving and improving!

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u/briankoel·

Soreness can often be misleading as a marker of progress. While DOMS is a sign of muscle stress, it doesn't necessarily correlate with strength gains. I've had sessions where my lifts improved significantly without feeling sore at all. Tracking your metrics like RPE, volume, and frequency is much more effective for understanding progress in your training. The body adapts in different ways, and soreness can be a poor indicator of those adaptations.

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u/hatesupps_4life·

Facts. Soreness isn't the end-all-be-all. I had this one time where I pushed for a PR and felt nothing, yet it was my best lift ever. If soreness was the gold standard, then I'd be a bodybuilder by now. Like, some days I can barely walk and others I feel fresh but still hit a new 1RM. It's all about what u do in the gym, not how your muscles feel the next day.

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u/chickenncarrots·

100%. Soreness might feel satisfying, but it doesn't equate to progress. I follow a structured meal prep plan and focus on what I'm eating to support my workouts. Nutrition plays a massive role in recovery too. If you're fueling your body right, you might not feel as sore but still make gains. It's all interconnected.

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u/depressedlifter·

This whole sore = gains thing is a myth. I've lifted for a decade and sometimes the hardest workouts leave me feeling like I just took a nap. Yet, those naps turned into PRs. And then you get the usual 'no pain, no gain' folks who probably don't realize how dumb that sounds. I'd rather be functional than just sore, you know?

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u/macrocounter98·

Ngl, soreness can be overrated. I track my macros and often feel fresh after sessions but still increase my lifts. As you said, focusing on MEV and MAV helps more than just chasing soreness. Just remember, muscles need time to adapt and recover, so keep that in mind while programming your workouts. No need to destroy yourself to see progress.

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