some muscles more sore than others

**LiftGirl** · 09-Aug-05, 01:30 PM

I've decided to come out of lurkdom and start posting. I'm really enjoying this forum.

Now, onto my question. My chest, hams, traps and tris seem to always get a decent case DOMS after working them. However, my quads, calves, bis,back and shoulders don't get it as bad or don't get DOMS at all. Does this mean I'm working some muscles harder than others inadvertantly? Or is my physiology just weird? Do some muscles just have a tendency to get more sore? Or do I need to make more of an effort to work the ones that aren't getting as sore?

My split is
Day 1: Chest and tris
Day 2: Back and bis
Day 3: Legs
Day 4: Shoulders and abs

**threenorns** · 09-Aug-05, 01:54 PM

imo, if you're going to failure on a set, then don't sweat the DOMS. i should have a rip-roaring case from yesterday, but it's not happening. yet my chest is still a bit achey from four days ago.

**Todd** · 09-Aug-05, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbrtnfld

Does this mean I'm working some muscles harder than others inadvertantly? Or is my physiology just weird? Do some muscles just have a tendency to get more sore? Or do I need to make more of an effort to work the ones that aren't getting as sore?

Some muscles just don't get as sore. I know for a fact that I have only had my shoulders hurt perhaps only once the next day, whereas my chest, triceps, back and legs hurt the next day almost every single time I work them out. Doesn't mean that I am working those body parts harder, because my shoulders still grow great even tho they never hurt the next day.

**LiftGirl** · 09-Aug-05, 02:46 PM

That's pretty much what I figured. The muscles that don't get DOMS are definitlely growing and getting stronger.

**Todd** · 09-Aug-05, 03:00 PM

As long as you train them hard enough to elicit a new stimulus (give them a new reason to grow), and then feed your muscles the required nutrients at the right times to support what you did in the gym, and then sleep enough to enable growth to take place....all your muscles will grow...regardless of how sore or not they are in the days after training them.

Chain · 09-Aug-05, 03:34 PM

Yup, soreness doesn't necessarily mean progress. chest and quads get sore often. But, for me, it takes more volume than is needed to grow to make my shoulders sore (at least 15 sets just for them).

Merrida · 09-Aug-05, 05:03 PM

I use the expression "personalities" with my clients, explaining how different muscles are like our kin, and they each have a different "personality," or way of expressing their feelings. One will be an attention getting screaming loudmouth (ie: quads), and another will be the quiet one who is doing more work than you think and you later realize they were UP to something (for me it would be delts).

They have their own "voice" and you have to learn to listen and recognize. Your back will never "burn" like your quads, and you'll always drop out on overhead movements quicker than heart-level or upright movements. Just learn to interpret each body part's individual's "voice" whent hey come-a-callin'.

Vas85 · 14-Aug-05, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd

Some muscles just don't get as sore. I know for a fact that I have only had my shoulders hurt perhaps only once the next day, whereas my chest, triceps, back and legs hurt the next day almost every single time I work them out. Doesn't mean that I am working those body parts harder, because my shoulders still grow great even tho they never hurt the next day.

I totally agree with Todd on this, i myself cannot get doms in my biceps or my shoulders never... (only had bicep doms first few months of training) but never since. It doesn't mean i'm doing something wrong as they have still grown like weeds and i think a mistake that some people might make is 'oh i dont have doms... ill train it again' and then you get overtraining, damaging the muscle etc...

DarkLord · 14-Aug-05, 08:15 AM

Talking Of Soreness Today I Did 5-6 Sets Of Hack Squats, 4-5 Sets Of Calf Raises, 4 Sets Of Skull Crushers With Olympic Bar And 4 Brutal Sts Of Bench Dips With The Final Weight Of 50 Kg Added For Resistance. I'm Telling You I've Not Felt My Triceps This Pumped For A Good While And With Luck It Should Have Stimulated The Outer Head. Pheeww. You Sure Can't Grow Without Burning!

**threenorns** · 14-Aug-05, 09:31 AM

lol - yes, DA, you CAN grow without burning.