The Role of Muscle Soreness in ANCOR

THE THERAPEUTIC ROLE OF MUSCLE SORENESS IN ANCOR

Why "Good Soreness" Helps Reduce Internal Sensations

An Important Discovery

When developing ANCOR, I noticed something unexpected: the muscle soreness that appeared 24-48 hours after heavy proprioceptive work actually helped reduce the internal burning and pressure sensations.

This wasn't about pushing to injury or extreme pain. It was about therapeutic DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) - that "I worked out yesterday" feeling - providing a different, more manageable sensation that seemed to replace the chaotic internal dysesthesia.

What Is Therapeutic DOMS?

DOMS = Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Characteristics:

Appears 12-48 hours after exercise

Dull, achy sensation in muscles that were worked

Feels "sore but good" - not sharp or alarming

Increases with movement, decreases with rest

Resolves within 48-72 hours

Not the same as injury pain

What causes it:

Microscopic muscle fiber disruption (completely normal)

Inflammatory response for repair

Eccentric (lowering) movements create more DOMS

Happens more with new movements or increased intensity

Why DOMS May Help with Internal Sensations

The Sensory Replacement Hypothesis

The problem with internal meltdown sensations:

Diffuse, hard to locate

Feel "wrong" or alarming

No clear cause

Unpredictable

Often described as "burning," "electrical," "pressure"

Your brain doesn't know what to do with these signals

What DOMS provides:

Clear, localized sensation

Has an obvious cause (you worked out)

Predictable pattern and timeline

Feels "earned" and purposeful

Your brain understands this signal

It's a reliable, interpretable body sensation

The key insight: When you have clear, understandable body sensations (muscle soreness from exercise), it may reduce your brain's focus on and amplification of the confusing, alarming internal sensations.

Personal Experience (The Creator's Perspective)

When I do heavy compound lifts with slow eccentrics:

Days 0-1 (workout day and next day):

Initial regulation from the workout itself

Internal pressure reduced immediately

Burning sensations calmed

Days 1-3 (DOMS peak):

Therapeutic muscle soreness appears

It's noticeable but not alarming

I can point to exactly where it is and why

The internal burning and pressure stay reduced

My body feels "occupied" with a sensation it understands

Days 3-4:

DOMS fading

Internal regulation maintained

Ready for next session

The pattern: Regular sessions (3-5x/week) create an overlapping pattern where therapeutic soreness from different workouts provides continuous, interpretable body feedback that seems to keep the dysesthetic sensations at bay.

The Distinction: Therapeutic vs. Harmful Soreness

✓ THERAPEUTIC DOMS (What We Want)

Sensation:

Dull, achy

"Worked out" feeling

Satisfying in a way

Symmetrical (both legs, both arms, etc.)

Pattern:

Appears 12-48 hours later

Peaks day 2-3

Gradually fades

Doesn't worsen with time

Function:

Improves with gentle movement

Doesn't limit daily activities severely

Feels productive

You know exactly what caused it

Intensity (1-10 scale):

Target: 3-6

Noticeable but not debilitating

"I worked out" not "I'm injured"

✗ HARMFUL PAIN (What to Avoid)

Sensation:

Sharp, stabbing

Burning in joints

Concerning, alarming

Asymmetrical (one side worse)

Pattern:

Appears during or immediately after exercise

Gets worse over time

Doesn't fade normally

Persists beyond 5-7 days

Function:

Worsens with movement

Limits daily activities significantly

Feels wrong, not productive

May not have clear cause

This is injury, not therapeutic soreness

How to Create Therapeutic DOMS

Key Factors:

1. Slow Eccentric Movement

The "lowering" phase creates more DOMS

3-5 second eccentrics are ideal

Example: Taking 4 seconds to lower into a squat

2. Full Range of Motion

Deeper movements = more DOMS

Full squat depth vs. partial

Complete stretch at bottom of movement

3. Moderate-Heavy Load

Needs to be challenging

Last 2-3 reps should require real effort

But not so heavy that form breaks

4. Adequate Volume

3-5 sets of 5-8 reps typically enough

More sets = more DOMS (to a point)

Don't overdo it - diminishing returns

5. Consistency

First time doing a movement = most DOMS

Regular practice = more moderate DOMS

3-5x/week creates steady therapeutic soreness

Practical Application

For Beginners (First 2-3 Weeks):

Expect:

More significant DOMS initially

May last 3-4 days

This is normal for new movement patterns

Approach:

Start lighter than you think necessary

Focus on learning movements

Build up gradually

Don't be discouraged by initial soreness

Goal: Let your body adapt while discovering the therapeutic effect

For Regular Practice (After Adaptation):

Expect:

More moderate, consistent DOMS

1-2 days duration typically

Easier to predict and manage

Approach:

Find your "sweet spot" intensity

Aim for 4-6/10 soreness

Maintain consistent schedule

Adjust load as needed

Goal: Steady therapeutic soreness that provides grounding without interference

Adjusting for Optimal Effect:

If no soreness after workouts:

Increase load slightly

Add 1-2 more sets

Slow down eccentric more

Go deeper in range of motion

You may not be creating enough stimulus

If too much soreness (7-10/10, limiting function):

Reduce load

Decrease volume (fewer sets)

Take more rest days

You've overdone it

If soreness doesn't help with internal sensations:

May need more consistency (give it 3-4 weeks)

May need to combine with other ANCOR elements

May need different intensity

Individual variation - not everyone experiences this benefit

The Grounding Mechanism

Why therapeutic soreness provides grounding:

1. Proprioceptive Continuity

Soreness reminds you where your body is

Creates ongoing body awareness

Reduces dissociation between workouts

2. Signal Competition

"Normal" soreness competes with "abnormal" burning

Brain prioritizes the interpretable signal

Reduces salience of dysesthetic sensations

3. Temporal Predictability

You know when it will appear

You know when it will fade

Creates sense of control over body sensations

4. Embodiment

Connects you to your physical self

Provides evidence that body is "real" and responsive

Counters disconnection feeling

5. Purposeful Sensation

Not random or chaotic

Result of intentional action

Reinforces agency over body state

Integration with Full ANCOR Protocol

DOMS is not a standalone solution - it works best as part of complete ANCOR:

Acute phase (workout day):

Heavy proprioceptive loading creates immediate regulation

Heat exposure deepens the effect

Breathing stabilizes autonomic shift

Sub-acute phase (days 1-3):

Therapeutic DOMS maintains body awareness

Provides ongoing proprioceptive reference

Keeps internal burning/pressure reduced

Chronic phase (weeks to months):

Consistent practice creates stable baseline

Regular therapeutic soreness prevents escalation

Reduces meltdown frequency overall

Important Considerations

This Is Individual

Not everyone experiences the same therapeutic benefit from DOMS:

Some people find soreness very helpful

Some find it neutral

A few find it adds to sensory burden

Try it and see - give it 4-6 weeks of consistent practice before deciding

Context Matters

DOMS is therapeutic when:

✓ You created it intentionally

✓ You understand why it's there

✓ It's within manageable range

✓ It's part of regulation practice

DOMS is just annoying when:

✗ It's excessive or limiting

✗ You didn't intend it

✗ It interferes with daily life

Not a Replacement for Medical Care

If you have:

Chronic pain conditions

Fibromyalgia

ME/CFS

Other pain-amplifying conditions

You may need to:

Approach more cautiously

Work with PT/medical team

Potentially use lighter approaches

Focus on other ANCOR elements

Tracking the Soreness-Relief Connection

Simple tracking method:

Day 0 (Workout Day):

Internal pressure before workout: ___/10

Internal burning before workout: ___/10

Internal pressure after full ANCOR: ___/10

Internal burning after full ANCOR: ___/10

Day 1-2 (Peak DOMS):

Muscle soreness level: ___/10

Internal pressure: ___/10

Internal burning: ___/10

Day 3:

Muscle soreness: ___/10

Internal pressure: ___/10

Internal burning: ___/10

After 4 weeks:

Review patterns

Is there a correlation?

Does soreness coincide with reduced internal sensations?

Optimizing for Therapeutic Effect

Movement Selection for Maximal Therapeutic DOMS:

Best movements (create most therapeutic soreness):

Deep squats - full quad and glute DOMS

Deadlifts - posterior chain soreness

Zercher squats - anterior chain + trap soreness

Walking lunges - asymmetric loading, deep stretch

Romanian deadlifts - hamstring stretch and load

Why these work:

Large muscle groups

Full range of motion possible

Significant eccentric component

Functional movement patterns

Tempo for Maximal DOMS:

1-2 seconds concentric (lifting)

1 second pause at top

3-5 seconds eccentric (lowering) ← Key

1 second pause at bottom

Repeat

That slow eccentric is crucial for therapeutic soreness

Advanced Understanding: Why This Wasn't Emphasized Before

In most exercise contexts, DOMS is seen as:

Something to minimize

A sign you overdid it

An interference with training

But in ANCOR, therapeutic DOMS is:

A beneficial component

Part of the regulation mechanism

Intentionally created (within limits)

This reframes soreness from "problem to avoid" to "therapeutic tool to cultivate" - but only within the therapeutic range (4-6/10, manageable, predictable).

Summary: The DOMS Component

Key Points:

Therapeutic muscle soreness (DOMS) may help reduce internal burning and pressure sensations

The mechanism: Clear, interpretable body sensation replaces chaotic, alarming internal sensations

The sweet spot: 4-6/10 soreness, noticeable but not limiting, lasting 1-3 days

How to create it: Slow eccentrics, full ROM, moderate-heavy load, 3-5 sets

It's optional: Not everyone finds this helpful; other ANCOR components work without it

It's not standalone: Works best integrated with full ANCOR protocol

It requires consistency: 3-5 sessions/week creates overlapping therapeutic soreness

Bottom line: Therapeutic DOMS is another tool in the ANCOR toolkit - one that provides ongoing proprioceptive grounding between sessions and may help "override" dysesthetic internal sensations with clear, purposeful body feedback.

Part of the ANCOR Method - Created by Seth A. Horn (2025)

This represents personal observation and should be approached individually