Should You Work Out When You're Sore? 

If you’ve ever pushed hard in a workout and felt sore the next day, you’ve probably wondered: Should I still go to the gym when I feel like this? It’s one of the most common questions we hear from people trying to stay consistent with their fitness routine.

The answer? In most cases, yes, you should absolutely keep working out, just do it smart.

What Is Muscle Soreness, and Why Does It Happen?

Muscle soreness, especially the kind that kicks in a day or two after your workout, is referred to as DOMS, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. It typically shows up 24 to 48 hours after resistance training, especially when:

• You're trying new movements or variations

• You're lifting heavier than usual

• You're doing slow, controlled (eccentric) reps

During training, tiny microtears occur in your muscle fibers. This is normal. In fact, it’s a crucial part of how your body builds stronger muscle tissue. As your body begins repairing these small tears, you experience that familiar sore, tender feeling in the muscles you worked.

One of the most common triggers of DOMS is eccentric loading, when your muscle lengthens under tension, like during the downward portion of an RDL (Romanian Deadlift) or a slow descent in a squat. These controlled movements activate more muscle fibers, which increases the stress on the tissue (and the likelihood of post-workout soreness).

Can You Still Train When You’re Sore?

Yes! It’s actually beneficial to keep moving when you're sore. What matters most is how your program is designed.

A well-structured training program alternates movement patterns and muscle groups in a way that allows one area to rest while another is trained. For example, if your workout on Monday focused on upper body pushing and lower body pulling (like bench press and RDLs), your Tuesday session might switch to upper body pulling and lower body pushing. This approach allows sore muscles to recover while still training other parts of the body effectively.

This method, often called push/pull training, lets you stay consistent without overtraining. It's built into our programming because we want our clients to keep progressing, even on days when they’re feeling a little sore.

What You Should Actually Do When You’re Sore

When you wake up sore, skipping the gym might feel tempting—but that’s usually not the best move. Instead, light movement can improve blood flow, reduce stiffness, and speed up recovery.

Here’s what helps:

• Functional warm-ups: Starting your session with low-intensity, dynamic movements gets your muscles warm and primes your body to move safely.

• Foam rolling and myofascial release: This helps loosen up tight areas, improves circulation, and can reduce muscle tension. It also serves as a pacing mechanism in the workout, forcing you to slow down and recover between sets.

• Gentle stretching: Especially effective when muscles are already warm, like after a hot shower or during your cooldown phase.

• Hydration, sleep, and nutrition: These are the real recovery MVPs. If you’re sore, your body needs more support to rebuild and come back stronger. Prioritize protein, water, and quality rest.
  

Soreness Isn’t a Sign You Should Skip! It’s a Sign You’re Progressing

It’s important to understand that soreness is not something to fear. It’s a natural response to a new or challenging training stimulus. If you’re new to resistance training, you’re going to encounter a lot of new movement patterns and that means you’ll be sore in the beginning.

The same goes for new training phases. For example, when shifting from a lighter, deload-style phase into a strength phase where the reps are lower but the weights are heavier, your body is adapting to more intensity. This is expected and is part of the muscle-building process.

But soreness isn’t the goal. It’s a sign that your body is responding to new stress, but over time, that soreness will diminish—even as your strength continues to increase. That’s not a bad thing. It means your muscles have adapted, and that’s when we introduce a new variation to keep you progressing.

Why Consistency Is Everything

One of the biggest obstacles to progress isn’t soreness, it’s inconsistency. The people who get the best results aren’t the ones who avoid discomfort. They’re the ones who show up, even when it’s a little uncomfortable.

Yes, you may be sore from Monday’s session. But if your program is properly designed, Tuesday's workout will train different muscle groups, allowing you to continue making gains while still recovering.

Over time, your body becomes more resilient. You’ll recover faster. You’ll get stronger. You’ll move better. But only if you keep showing up.

Bottom Line: Don’t Let Soreness Slow You Down

Muscle soreness is a natural part of the strength training process. It’s your body telling you that it's being challenged and that it's growing.

Skipping your workout because you’re sore may feel like the right move at the moment, but it’s often a step backward in your long-term progress. Instead, listen to your body, adjust as needed, and keep moving forward.

Your workouts are designed with recovery in mind. You don’t need to be 100% fresh every time you walk into the gym, you just need to walk in.

Ready to Train Smarter?

At Legacy Personal Training in Scottsdale, every session is intentionally designed to match your body’s needs and keep you progressing safely. Whether you’re feeling fresh or a little fatigued, our expert coaches are here to help you move better, get stronger, and stay consistent.

Learn more about how we help people over 40 live stronger, longer lives at LegacyPersonalTraining.com.