Top 10 Muscle Myths: "Myth #1"

Myth 1: Don’t Train When You’re Sore

  

Premise

 #1 The number one bodybuilding myth seems so logical and has been made know so successfully for so long that you may be stunned to find it here–and that’s precisely why it landed in the top spot. If DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness–the ache you typically feel 24 to 48 hours after intense training) indicates that your muscle cells are, in effect, broken down from your previous workout, then why would you want to train again while still sore?

Science

DOMS signifies normal processes in the muscles that are involved in muscle recovery and growth. One study found that when subjects followed an exercise session that caused muscle soreness with another exercise session about two days later–while still sore–their cortisol levels (a catabolic hormone that interferes with muscle growth) were much lower than the first workout and free testosterone was slightly higher. In other words, they were in a better anabolic state. In addition, Japanese researchers induced soreness in the biceps muscles of subjects with heavy negative rep curls, and repeated the exercise two and four days later.

They found no significant differences in max strength, range of motion, muscle soreness and plasma creatine kinase (a chemical indicator of muscle damage) between each exercise bout. In other words, muscle damage wasn’t made worse by the back-to-back training.

Verdict
Research shows that you typically need 48 to 72 hours between workouts to fully recover, and you can then train the same muscles again. This is regardless of whether or not you feel sore.
References:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/
http://www.flexonline.com/

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