RDLs and DOMS

[gnuckols]

What are some reasons that an exercise can cause ridiculous DOMS every time you do it?

I'm doing RDLs on my blast and every time I do them, my hamstrings are sore for close to a week afterwards. It's not that I have untrained hamstrings, or even that its a new movement. They're an exercise that I cycle in and out of my training all the time, but it's almost like my hamstrings never adapt to them. What confuses me more is that exercises with a similar movement pattern, like good mornings, don't make me very sore at all, even when performed with the same intensity. Its also not a DC thing, as RDLs have always murdered my hamstrings like this, regardless of weight (unless they were just super light, obviously), reps, or nearness to failure. I also don't think it's a problem with them taxing my system too much, as i deadlift 605 and have repped 405x15 without near this degree of soreness.

Has anything similar happened to you with RDLs or another exercise, and what could be causing it?

[Sammich]

I have the same issue as well. I think it has something to do with the very tight stretch under load that RDLs uniquely produce on the hamstrings.

[gnuckols]

so the more I kick their ass, the more they'll kick my ass?

[Sammich]

And the more your hams will turn into HARMS

[FK86]

I believe there is a way to greatly reduce DOMS based on adaptation and an experience I had. Two years ago, I tried Milos Sarcev’s giant set routine for all body parts. I only mention his name as a giant set traditionally consists of 4 exercises done in succession without rest and Sarcev trained his bodybuilders to do 6-8, sometimes even more. Anyway, I had set up routines to do 6 exercises for 10 reps each, repeating the cycle 3-4 times, and resting about a minute between each cycle. The DOMS was EXCRUCIATING. Standing up and sitting down took 30 seconds to do while I clutched a table. Walking up and down stairs was done with 2 hands holding onto the railing and moving very slowly. Showering was extremely painful for my arms and back. The only thing that didn’t hurt was lying in bed with my arms at my sides. The job I had at the time was at a desk and it took me a full 10 days before everything felt fine again. If I had had a physical job that required lifting and movement, I wouldn’t have been able to go to work for 10 days. Needless to say, I opted not to continue with that training style. When I returned to other routines; Max-OT, DC, and now I train 5/3/1, the DOMS is almost non-existent. The conclusion I came to, even if it doesn’t make any sense, is that my body experienced and adapted to such an incredible amount of stress that anything "lesser" does not harm me in the same way. That’s not to demean the other programs as they are all intense in their own right, but an 8 rep set, for example, isn’t even in the same realm as what is technically a 60 rep set. To summarize, I subjected myself to something that was above and beyond what I had normally done and when I came back my body was able to handle it better.

[theroymccoy]

I have the same issue as well. I think it has something to do with the very tight stretch under load that RDLs uniquely produce on the hamstrings.

Agreed. I've noticed the movements that give me a good stretch have also given me more DOMS. Certain chest exercises and stiff-leg dead variations come to mind.

And the more your hams will turn into HARMS

wut.

[mentalflex]

I completely agree that my hams get fried when I do RDLs but one thing that has helped is foam rolling after I do my stretches. I also do double stretching for my hams. I take DBs and hang off a box in a deep stretch for 10-15 seconds at a time and do that about 5 times. After this I sit on a bench facing the barbell in the racked bench position and stretch one leg at a time by putting each leg on the barbell while the other is either flat on the bench or on planted on the floor and pull my head to my knee and then some. I hold that position for about 60 seconds. Give it a try, your hammies will thank you.

[gnuckols]

awesome! thanks for the input guys!

[thuggish]

I just discovered this exercise a week ago, meaning I finally used it. I was also surprised at how hard they hit my hamstrings, I think it must have something to do with the ROM.

I wonder if doing them will aid flexibility at all.

[mentalflex]

I think it must have something to do with the ROM.

I wonder if doing them will aid flexibility at all.

If want ROM, do your RDLs off an evelated platform and do a slow negative, then hit some deep extreme stretches after. It'll rock your world.

Flexibility will come with more stretching, which IMO, is one of the most overlooked components in most trainees programs, despite being of the utmost importance.

[Shawn "Future" Bellon]

What are some reasons that an exercise can cause ridiculous DOMS every time you do it?

I'm doing RDLs on my blast and every time I do them, my hamstrings are sore for close to a week afterwards. It's not that I have untrained hamstrings, or even that its a new movement. They're an exercise that I cycle in and out of my training all the time, but it's almost like my hamstrings never adapt to them. What confuses me more is that exercises with a similar movement pattern, like good mornings, don't make me very sore at all, even when performed with the same intensity. Its also not a DC thing, as RDLs have always murdered my hamstrings like this, regardless of weight (unless they were just super light, obviously), reps, or nearness to failure. I also don't think it's a problem with them taxing my system too much, as i deadlift 605 and have repped 405x15 without near this degree of soreness.

Has anything similar happened to you with RDLs or another exercise, and what could be causing it?

Ham exercises like that are basically being forced into a range of motion that they are not always ready for. Depending on the style of the lift like shoes you wear, length of the movement, knee positioning etc you can cause more trauma than good. Proceed in a comfortable ROM until you get use to it. Remember a ballistic style stretch causes alot of soreness and damage so warm up BIG TIME!

[thuggish]

If want ROM, do your RDLs off an evelated platform and do a slow negative, then hit some deep extreme stretches after. It'll rock your world.

Flexibility will come with more stretching, which IMO, is one of the most overlooked components in most trainees programs, despite being of the utmost importance.

Want to hear something interesting? When I first did overheat squats my flexibility increased really fast, but only to a point.

Ham exercises like that are basically being forced into a range of motion that they are not always ready for. Depending on the style of the lift like shoes you wear, length of the movement, knee positioning etc you can cause more trauma than good. Proceed in a comfortable ROM until you get use to it. Remember a ballistic style stretch causes alot of soreness and damage so warm up BIG TIME!

Yes, like good mornings, I find a bit of knee bend necessary near the bottom.

[ShinjiG]

I'm doing this on my current blast, though I mostly only get the soreness/cramps in my lower back during and after the exercise. I won't feel my hams during the exercise, only the next few days afterwards.