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We’ve all been there—you finish a tough workout feeling accomplished, but by the next morning (or worse, two days later), your legs are screaming, stairs feel like an obstacle course, and even lifting your coffee cup feels like a challenge. That deep soreness? It’s called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and it’s one of the most misunderstood parts of training.
A lot of people associate soreness with a "good" workout, but that’s not always the case. CrossFit athletes and coaches understand that while soreness can be part of training, it’s not the end goal—it’s a byproduct of challenging your muscles in new ways. And if there’s one thing CrossFit does well, it’s constantly varying workouts so that you don’t get stuck in a rut or plateau.
What Causes Muscle Soreness?
When you work out, you create tiny micro-tears in your muscle fibers. This happens most during eccentric movements—when your muscles lengthen under load, like lowering into a squat, catching a clean, or controlling a deadlift back to the floor. These tiny tears are completely normal. Your body responds by repairing them, which is how your muscles grow stronger and more resilient over time.
In CrossFit, the constant variety in workouts means you’re regularly challenging your body in different ways. One day might be heavy squats, the next might be gymnastic skills, and another might be a high-intensity interval workout. This keeps your body adapting, which is why people who do CrossFit don’t plateau the way they often do in traditional gym routines.
Does Soreness Mean a Good Workout?
Not necessarily. Feeling sore can mean your body is adapting to a new stimulus, but it’s not the only way to measure progress. Some of the most effective workouts won’t leave you feeling wrecked the next day—especially as your body gets stronger and more conditioned.
CrossFit is all about improving work capacity over time, not just chasing soreness. The real measure of progress is performance—are you lifting more weight, moving faster, improving your endurance, or mastering new skills? That’s what matters.
How to Reduce Muscle Soreness and Keep Training
The Bottom Line
Soreness isn’t a sign of a bad workout, and it’s not something to chase—it’s just part of the process. If you’re training smart, eating well, and recovering properly, you’ll see progress whether you’re sore or not.
So, if you’re feeling a little sore today, embrace it—but don’t let it stop you. Keep showing up, keep putting in the work, and trust the process. The real results come from consistency, not just the days when you feel sore.
Ready to train smarter and see real progress? Let’s get after it!
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