Soreness

Soreness is a common complaint from Taekwondo students. There are two general kinds of exercise-related muscle soreness:

Acute soreness

Muscle soreness during or immediately after a workout is often due to normal muscle fatigue. This feeling of discomfort is caused by chemical waste building up in the muscles during exercise.

The soreness normally disappears after a few minutes of rest. Once it is gone, you can usually go on training as usual. Note that there is a difference between soreness and pain. Acute pain could indicate an injury and requires medical attention.

Delayed soreness

Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS) usually appears later, approximately 12 hours after your workout. The symptoms usually peak between 24 to 48 hours and normally disappear within a few days.

These symptoms of soreness and stiffness are a normal adaptation process, which will lead to greater strength once your muscles have recovered. That is why it is important that you should allow for adequate rest in your workout week.