Ever wake up so sore from a workout the day before that you’re left wondering, “Is it even safe to work out again today?” We’ve all been there. (For me, it usually happens after a Solidcore session.)
At the most basic level, soreness is a good thing. It’s an unmistakable sign that you challenged your muscles—and now they’re doing the work to repair and grow. And, chances are, you’re working out because you have a goal—whether it’s to build strength and muscle or simply to stay active. But should soreness stand in the way of those goals?
Meet the experts: Alex Rothstein, CSCS, ACSM-EP, an exercise physiologist and instructor for the exercise science program at the New York Institute of Technology. Cara Hall, MD, a sports medicine specialist with Keck Medicine of USC. Courtney Gleason, MD, a non-operative sports medicine physician at Emory Healthcare and the director of Emory’s Female Athlete Program. Rachelle A. Reed, PhD, ACSM-EP, an exercise physiologist in Athens, Georgia.
Here’s how to know if it’s a good idea to work out on sore muscles or simply give them a day off, according to experts.
Why do muscles get sore?
Resistance training (any time you work out using a form of resistance like weights, bands, or even your own bodyweight) creates microscopic tears in your muscles, which then sets off an inflammatory healing response that makes your muscles feel sore, stiff, and achy. “When we feel sore, that’s our body feeling the efforts to repair muscles,” says Cara Hall, MD, a sports medicine specialist with Keck Medicine of USC.
There’s a name for this phenomenon: delayed onset muscle soreness, better known as DOMS. It’s “delayed” because soreness typically comes on one to two days after a workout. It is a bodily response to new stimuli, caused by temporary muscle damage and repair-related inflammation, and often occurs when you’ve introduced new movement patterns into your training program, upped the intensity of your workouts, or engaged in exercises that involve a lot of eccentric loading (such as lowering down into a pushup, squat, or downhill running), says Rachelle A. Reed, PhD, ACSM-EP, an exercise physiologist in Athens, Georgia.
From a visual standpoint, think of DOMS as a bell curve. It typically arises 12 to 14 hours after a workout, peaking at around 24 to 72 hours. From there, the sensation should dissipate over the next few days, Reed says.
And, by the way: contrary to popular belief, soreness does not come from a buildup of lactic acid in your muscles. “Producing lactate is a good and important adaptation that your body can do [to fuel itself], but it clears your bloodstream within an hour after exercise,” Reed says.
Is It Safe to Exercise on Sore Muscles?
In short: soreness isn’t necessarily dangerous for a workout. “In most cases, it’s safe to exercise on sore muscles, especially when soreness is mild and improves as you warm up,” Reed says. “As a rule of thumb, train normally with mild soreness, reduce load or intensity with moderate soreness, and prioritize recovery if soreness limits normal movement or range of motion.” The biggest reason why? If you’re too sore, you might not perform the movements correctly and safely.
To add structure to your training program—and balance the intensity and stress placed on your muscles from lifting—consider following a workout split. “Having a split allows you to spend more focused time on specific movements and muscle groups in a single workout, [and] then rest those areas while doing the same for other movements and muscle groups,” says Alex Rothstein, CSCS, ACSM-EP, an exercise physiologist and instructor for the exercise science program at the New York Institute of Technology.
If your legs are feeling sore a day or two after finishing a squat-heavy workout session, for instance, rather than completing another round of weighted squats, opt for movements concentrating on different muscle groups, he says.
How to Know When It’s Safe to Work Out on Sore Muscles
Soreness at 0–3: Proceed with your normal training
If you have low levels of soreness that can be relieved through movement during a warm-up (which supports blood flow in the body, oftentimes soothing soreness), you’re in the clear to proceed with your normal exercise program, Rothstein says. “There’s very low risk of hurting those [sore] muscle groups,” he says.
Obviously, if only one muscle group is sore, you can also proceed with a workout that targets another part of your body. For instance, “if you had an intense lower body workout one day, and you wanted to do an upper body workout, that’s a good way of [knowing] you can still be exercising, but not challenging the same muscle groups,” says Courtney Gleason, MD, a sports medicine physician at Emory Healthcare and the director of Emory’s Female Athlete Program.
Soreness at 4–7: Modify your training program
While movement is excellent for recovery, if you’re feeling decently sore, you should be careful to not overwork the muscle groups that are meant to be resting and recovering. So, while it’s okay if certain areas of your body are moderately sore, you might want to make modifications to your workout program, says Dr. Hall.
For instance, if you’re doing structured resistance training in a group class where you’d typically push yourself hard, you’ll want to select lighter weights and take extra care to move intentionally so as to not overexert muscles that are in the active recovery phase, Reed says. This is also a good time to target fresher muscle groups instead or take a recovery day.
Soreness at 8–10: Prioritize rest and recovery
If your soreness is peaking at an eight, nine, or 10 out of 10, “the benefits of rest are actually going to outweigh the benefits of hitting that same muscle group,” says Dr. Hall. “If you’re that sore and hitting the same muscle group, you’re likely to underperform and you’re also likely to risk injury.” In this case, consider taking a complete rest day, doing some mobility work or light low-impact cardio to keep the blood flowing.
Am I sore…or in pain?
There’s an easy way to distinguish if what you’re experiencing is temporary muscle soreness or pain resulting from an injury: soreness tends to improve as you warm up, is symmetric on both sides of your body, and is characterized by a dull, achy stiffness. Pain, on the other hand, is more often described as a sharp sensation, is concentrated to one side of your body, and becomes progressively worse with exercise, Dr. Hall says.
If you’re still unsure whether you’re experiencing DOMS or if you have pain due to an injury, “give it a couple of days, see how (your muscle) is responding once you lay off it. If it is responding positively, it’s probably not an injury,” Rothstein says.
If your soreness is accompanied by lingering pain, at that point it’s a good idea to see a medical professional to get to the bottom of whether you have an overuse injury, Dr. Gleason says.
Remember: rest is important for your muscles, so taking a day off isn’t the end of the world.
Rest is vital for your muscles to properly rebuild, come back stronger, and for your body to strengthen the mind-muscle connection, says Dr. Hall. “When we rest, we increase muscle protein, and the muscle fibers that we have get thicker and stronger,” she says. Without proper rest, there is a risk of injury and stress on the body, which could potentially plateau or set back your progress.
In the realm of fitness, there isn’t a universal definition as to what qualifies ‘rest.’ “The amount of movement on a rest day is always up to you, but I would always err on the side of less intense activity,” says Dr. Hall.
If you’re very sore, it’s reasonable to take a complete recovery day and spend some time lying on the couch to recoup, Dr. Gleason says. Engaging in a few light movements, like a leisurely walk around the block, could also be a productive way to promote recovery. This could consist of stretching or riding a stationary bike, “where you’re not completely sedentary, but you’re also allowing for muscles and other tissues to have a chance to recover from an intense load with a workout,” Dr. Gleason says.
Important to note: there isn’t an “ideal” number of rest days you should take, as this will depend on how you split your workouts throughout the week. If you’re a seasoned exerciser who works out a few times a week, more likely, you won’t actually need to take a full recovery day, Reed says. Someone less experienced with strength training may need a little more rest post-workout if they’re beginning to feel sore and want to reduce their injury risk, but someone who is very advanced at lifting could actually end up needing more rest to delve into the recovery phase, Dr. Hall says.
The Best Ways to Soothe Muscle Soreness
1. Prioritize Getting Quality Sleep
Packing in at least eight hours of quality sleep not only helps to decrease muscle soreness, it also plays a role in preventing muscle soreness from coming about in the first place, says Dr. Hall. In fact, if you aren’t able to get consistent, high-quality sleep at night, it could exacerbate the pain sensitivity associated with DOMS, according to a 2023 randomized controlled trial published in Sleep Medicine.
To achieve a well-rested sleep, first try sticking to sleep hygiene best practices like avoiding consuming caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime, and sleeping in a cool, dark room to promote body temperature regulation, says Dr. Hall. (Sleep is complicated, though, and might also take a conversation with your doctor to really get to the bottom of.) But, if you know you’ve got a big week of training coming up, consider this your reminder to set a bedtime—and to stick with it.
2. Dial in on Nutrition
When it comes to preventing and alleviating muscle soreness, fueling your body should be top priority pre and post-workout—and that includes hydration, says Reed. “Even a little bit of dehydration can have a big impact on your ability to recover,” she says.
After a bout of intense exercise, Dr. Hall recommends consuming around 20 to 30 grams of protein, and three to four times that amount of complex carbs. Carbs and protein are critical building blocks that are essential to helping maximize muscle recovery. Our bodies rely on carbs for energy, and protein is heavily involved in muscle repair, she says.
3. Keep Moving
The jury is still out as to whether post-workout stretching can actually make a significant difference in speeding up muscle sensitivity and soreness caused by DOMS, according to a 2021 review published in Frontiers in Physiology.
That said, if your muscles are feeling particularly sore, do some dynamic stretching, use a foam roller, or massage your muscles. These movements promote blood flow in the body, which could help temporarily soothe muscle soreness, says Dr. Gleason.
4. Consider Heat Therapy
In the same way movement increases circulation in the body, heat therapy dilates your blood vessels and promotes oxygenation in your bloodstream. All in all, this helps reduce inflammation in the body, which could potentially alleviate muscle soreness, says Reed.
This could look like stepping into the sauna, taking a hot bath, or using a heating pad to bring local relief to where you’re feeling sore, she says. Hot water immersion, in particular, has seen particularly positive benefits for supporting muscle recovery function, according to a 2025 study published in Sports Medicine.
So, yes, even without the help of these recovery tools, it could be safe to strength train if you’re not feeling too sore the day after an intense workout. Just remember that it has to be under the right conditions. You’ll want to prioritize switching up the muscle groups you’ll be working to allow those areas of your body to properly recover. And if you’re feeling a little too achy and stiff even after warming up your body, remember there’s no harm in taking a rest day.
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