This week’s Honestly, Carly is a bite-size episode tackling one of the most common fitness questions I get asked:

Should you actually be sore after every workout… and does soreness mean your training is working?

We’re talking DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), what’s really happening inside the muscles after exercise, why some workouts leave you walking downstairs sideways… and why being completely wrecked after training is not the gold standard women have been led to believe it is.

Inside this episode:

• What DOMS actually is (and why it’s not “lactic acid build-up”)
• Why new workouts hit harder
• The science behind eccentric loading
• The “repeated bout effect” and why consistency matters
• Whether soreness means your workout was effective
• Signs your recovery needs attention
• How sleep, nutrition and stress affect muscle soreness
• Whether you should train again when you’re still sore
• What genuinely helps reduce DOMS (and what doesn’t)

If you’ve ever judged a workout by how broken it left you afterwards, this episode is for you.

Because intelligent training in midlife isn’t about punishment. It’s about adaptation, recovery and building a body that feels stronger, fitter and more resilient over time.

Want intelligently programmed workouts designed specifically for women in midlife?

You can find all the details about Train With Carly here:

https://www.clcfitness.co.uk/online-fitness-classes-for-women

Oh and don't forget - you can get in touch with me over on Instagram, @carlycorrigall