Is it recommended for best muscle growth to train so that you have muscle soreness the next day
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To achieve optimal muscle growth, it is not necessary to train with the goal of experiencing muscle soreness the next day. Soreness, or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), is often perceived as an indicator of an effective workout, but it is not required for improvements in muscle strength or growth. notes that while experiencing soreness might indicate that you've stressed the muscle adequately, it could also mean the muscle was overstressed, necessitating a longer recovery period 1.
, a frequent guest on Huberman's podcast, emphasizes that soreness is not a reliable measure of workout quality. Different training goals, such as hypertrophy (muscle growth) versus strength, may result in varying levels of soreness. For hypertrophy, recovery and protein synthesis over 48 to 72 hours are more critical than experiencing soreness 2. Overtraining to the point of excessive soreness can be detrimental, resulting in the need for more recovery time, which could ultimately reduce overall training volume and gains 3.
Therefore, while a moderate level of soreness can be a sign that the muscles are being effectively challenged, it is not an indicator of superior muscle growth. Training should aim for a balance, ensuring effective muscle stimulation without overexerting to the point of excessive soreness 4.
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