Ramp up of DOMS during exercise

Training Q&A [Moderated]
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1

I’m currently at week 5 with the 9-week free TSAIntermediate program (which I don’t think is radically different in terms of frequency, tonnage, intensity and volume to The Bridge). I haven’t really noticed any doms (none that were that noticeable) until recently in my pecs. But, the weird thing is that the doms is basically non-existent until I start working out that muscle (bench-press, muscle is pec) and it seems to only occur on one day. Moreover, it gets so painful that I can’t continue bench-pressing. It feels like it’s ripping the muscle from the bone (maybe a tad bit hyperbolic, but it’s really painful). I tried to lower the weights a bit when this happened (from 85kg to 60kg) but it didn’t really make that much of a difference. What is this, what’s the reason and how can I combat it?

Some information that might help:

  1. I have a slight bit of doms (not much at all, a bit more in my mid-back) all around my body, but the doms I get WHEN I bench on that specific day is just insane.
  2. Day 4 is a heavy bench day, 4x4reps at 83%
  3. Day 1 contains benching after squatting, 4x7reps at 78% (this is the day the doms occur).
  4. This week I did Day 4 Sunday and Day 1 Monday. Last week I did Day 4 on Saturday and Day 1 on Monday. The doms came both times at Day 1 for those weeks (not prior weeks). It does seem to go away after a nights sleep, although right now 6 hours after the work-out I’m still sore.
  5. I’ve been strength training on and off for about 6-8 years just for fun. I started working out again now 2 months ago after a hiatus of about 6-10 months, where my prior bench 1RM was 120kg. I did 107,5kg before starting this program.
  6. 22 years old.
  7. BW: 90,6kg.
  8. Waist: 87cm.
  9. I eat around maintenance calories (2700). Macros at about P: 157g, C: 331g, F: 52g. Supplementation: Fish-oil, Vitamin d3, Kelp. I’m going to up my protein from tomorrow and out. I’m also pretty heavy on salt, 6 mg sodium a day.
  10. This probably doesn’t matter but I have celiac disease, diagnosed with a 3c Marsh through endoscopic biopsy. I’ve been 100% gluten-free for about 8 months. I also have pretty severe hay-fever that is pretty rampant right now. I take medication for that.
2

It’s hard to say whether this is truly DOMS or whether it’s something like a tendinopathy, which would merit a different management plan. If this is a persistent issue for you, it may be worth pursuing consultation with our rehab guys.

3

Thanks for the reply, Austin.

It does feel exactly like DOMS though, but I guess just because it does so doesn’t mean it is the same.
It’s also so weird that it flares up on specific days and it isn’t even the day I bench heavy (although, I do recognize that it is one day after the heavy bench-day). What do you think is the reason for this?