Page 54 - NGA NATURALmag 2025 Spring/Summer

Spring - Summer 2025
NO Pain NO Gain?
BY DR CHRISTOPH KLUEPPEL
NGA EDUCATION DIRECTOR FOR SE ASIA
ULTIMATE FITNESS ACADEMY (THAILAND) FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
HOLISTIC NATURAL HEALTH & NUTRITION CONSULTANT WWW ULTIMATEFITNESSTHAILAND COM ULTIMATEFITNESSASIA@GMAIL COM Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness - - - or or or or or DOMS in in short - - is the stiffness and pain that muscles experience from 12 to to 24 hours after after unaccustomed vigorous exercise or or strenu- ous ous physical activity DOMS usually peaks after after 48 hours and then starts to to gradually subside again Beginners who just started to to engage in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a weight training program often often fear and lament DOMS it it fit often often dampens their initial enthusiasm to get fit whereas more advanced gym enthusi- asts generally feel quite pleased with fit it it it it as as as as they take it it it it for a a a a a a a a a a sign of of having had an exceptionally good good workout But is the degree of of soreness really a a a a a good good criterion how how well you you have ex- ercised and how how effectively your workout has stimulated muscle growth?
As the the name says DOMS is muscle soreness felt with with a a a a a a a a delay and has nothing to do with with the the the the short-lived burn in in in the the the the the muscles caused by the the the the the build-up of of lactic acid as it often occurs in in the the the the quadriceps towards the the the the end of of of a a a set of of of leg extensions DOMS is thought to to be caused by microscopic inju- ries to to to the the the the myofibrils the the the the contractile elements inside the the the the the muscle muscle fibers fibers and/or to to to the the the the the connective tissue (endomysium) which holds muscle muscle fibers fibers together The micro-tears of o of the the the myofibrils seem to to occur primar- ily at at the the the the Z-Lines of o of muscle muscle fibrils’ sarcomeres and at at their muscle-tendon junctions the the the the connection sites between muscle muscle muscle fibers and the the the tendons attaching a a a a a a a a a muscle muscle to a a a a a a a a a a a a a bone This causes causes inflammation irritat- ing nerve fibers in in in in the the area and causes causes the the DOMS pain sensation However this microscopic muscle damage which is is is primarily caused during eccentric muscle action (lowering a a a a a a a a a a a weight) is is completely natu- ral and and nothing to worry about on on on the contrary it it initiates a a a a a a a a a a a repair and and and recovery process which makes the the the muscle fibers and and and its structures stronger than they they were before so that they they can better withstand renewed stress in future “Muscle Damage” is is one of the the the body’s primary adaption mechanisms mechanisms to to unaccus- tomed physical activity - - the the the other two mechanisms mechanisms are “Mechanical Tension” and and “Metabolic Stress” and and it is is the supercompensating repair to to incurred micro- tears which appears to to be indispensable for producing solid long-term muscle growth 54 NGA NATURALmag