DOMS One Day, Not The Next..

[pebblesus]

I like to know everyone's input on things that I have millions of my own theories on.. so is there a definite answer?
Why is it that I get DOMS after a workout one day and don't get it after the same workout the next time I do it?
I usually do the same workout routines for 4 weeks (1 or 2 times each week) before I change it up.
Why would I get DOMS one workout and not the next? (or reverse)
Could it simply be because I had less energy and ambition thus the DOMS?
And while on the subject, does the extra protein you're spossed to have when lifting heavy help with the DOMS and recovery after the workout? (making the soreness shorter)
.. and the day BEFORE, day OF and one & two days after.. how does the protein play a role? (for example is it repairing the muscle the day of and after but not so much the other two days?
I always wonder this as I try to have as much protein as possible starting right after the workout and then all the next day.. but if not working out the day after THAT then should I reduce the protein so it doesn't turn to fat? (usually what I end up doing as lean protein is hard to do for more than two days

 

[kathryn]

>Why is it that I get DOMS after a workout one day and don't
>get it after the same workout the next time I do it?

It could be due to numerous factors, IMO. Some of which may be:

If the 'non-DOMS' workout follows the 'DOMS' workout, then your body adapting to the workout is the first thing that comes to mind.

Nutrition (especially getting nutrients that can help with recovery: enough carbs, antioxidants, etc.)

Doing more stretching or even movement after the non-DOMS workout.

Doing the non-DOMS workout earlier in the day (which means that you were moving around a lot more after the workout).

I also wonder if it can also be due to amount of stress (aside from exercise) your body has to deal with on different days. I would think that if there is more stress, the body might feel more DOMS, because it would be using more of its resources dealing with that 'other stuff' rather than flushing the waste products of exercise from the muscles and starting repair. But that's just a theory.


>Could it simply be because I had less energy and ambition thus
>the DOMS?

I don't see how that factors in, unless you mean that you weren't working as hard (lifting less?)


As for protein, the right balance of protein/carbs is more important than protein itself for recovery. The body needs carbs to help replenish the glycogen stores used up from the workout, in order to put the body into an anabolic (building) state instead of the catabolic (breaking down) state it is in after a tough workout. The protein helps with repair, but it is less useful if there is not enough carb. A 4-to-1 carb-to-protein smoothie (four times as much carbs as protein)ASAP after the workout (recommendations vary as to how long the window of opportunity lasts, though 20 minutes is a number that I've seen several times) is usually what is recommended by sports nutritionists, with a higher protein feeding following within 2 hours of the end of the workout.

Here's some info on fueling activity (page 2 addresses the post-exercise refueling).

HTH
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/Nutrition_articles.asp?id=627&page=4