Study on DOMS Reduction Protocol

[MikeMartial]

Interesting study:


Elimination of delayed-onset muscle soreness by pre-resistance cardioacceleration before each set.

Davis WJ, Wood DT, Andrews RG, Elkind LM, Davis WB.

Division of Physical and Biological Sciences, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA. jackson@MiracleWorkout.com

We compared delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) induced by anaerobic resistance exercises with and without aerobic cardioacceleration before each set, under the rationale that elevated heart rate (HR) may increase blood perfusion in muscles to limit eccentric contraction damage and/or speed muscle recovery. In two identical experiments (20 men, 28 women), well-conditioned athletes paired by similar physical condition were assigned randomly to experimental or control groups. HR (independent variable) was recorded with HR monitors. DOMS (dependent variable) was self-reported using Borg's Rating of Perceived Pain scale. After identical pre-training strength testing, mean DOMS in the experimental and control groups was indistinguishable (P > or = 0.19) for musculature employed in eight resistance exercises in both genders, validating the dependent variable. Subjects then trained three times per week for 9 (men) to 11 (women) weeks in a progressive, whole-body, concurrent training protocol. Before each set of resistance exercises, experimental subjects cardioaccelerated briefly (mean HR during resistance training, 63.7% HR reserve), whereas control subjects rested briefly (mean HR, 33.5% HR reserve). Mean DOMS among all muscle groups and workouts was discernibly less in experimental than control groups in men (P = 0.0000019) and women (P = 0.0007); less for each muscle group used in nine resistance exercises in both genders, discernible (P < 0.025) in 15 of 18 comparisons; and less in every workout, discernible (P < 0.05) in 32% (men) and 55% (women) of workouts. Most effect sizes were moderate. In both genders, mean DOMS per workout disappeared by the fourth week of training in experimental but not control groups. Aerobic cardioacceleration immediately before each set of resistance exercises therefore rapidly eliminates DOMS during vigorous progressive resistance training in athletes.

[XTrainer]

Thanks Mike, keep it comin'.

[Standard]

With all the recovery studies your finding i'm not going to have the time to actually workout, i'll be too busy recovering.

The Borg's Rating of Perceived Pain scale seems interesting for some reason, i'll have to read what thats all about

[MikeMartial]

Originally Posted by Standard

With all the recovery studies your finding i'm not going to have the time to actually workout, i'll be too busy recovering.

LOL. I just like reading about how to recover faster. It's an issue for old bastards like me.

Originally Posted by Standard

The Borg's Rating of Perceived Pain scale seems interesting for some reason, i'll have to read what thats all about

It's a subjective exertion scale from 6-20, with 6 being the lowest and 20 being the highest. I have no idea why it's even still in use; the Modified Borg Scale is used more nowadays.

A scale of 1-10 is a helluva lot easier for people to rate than 6-20.

[Wild Dan Hibiki]

standard: pretty much all it is, is you ask the subject how intense the exercise on a scale of 6-20.

and yeah, 1-10 makes heaps more sense.

[Monger]

Originally Posted by MikeMartial

LOL. I just like reading about how to recover faster. It's an issue for old bastards like me.

double post

[Monger]

Originally Posted by MikeMartial

LOL. I just like reading about how to recover faster. It's an issue for old bastards like me.

No shit. I don't really get the soreness from DOMS (for whatever reason) but god damn, I've been exhausted and fatigued all week from training! The problem is that I refuse to get too old for this shit!

Thanks for the study, Mike! Good stuff.

[Urban]

I worry the focus on DOMS reduction may take focus of something of importance: progress. Did they fair any better as far as improving their performance in the gym? Feeling better is fine and good, but if they tell me running marathons reduces DOMS I KNOW it's not going to improve my squat or explosiveness.