Why do squats make my quads sore? how and why

Hello there, fitness enthusiasts and curious minds! Have you ever wondered why squats seem to have a special knack for making your quads scream with soreness?

You know that feeling when every step after leg day reminds you that those squats weren’t just a walk in the park?

Well, you’re in for a treat because we’re about to dive into the science behind why squats and sore quads often go hand in hand.

From the nitty-gritty of muscle contractions to the mysteries of lactic acid buildup, we’ll unravel the secrets that leave you wincing in the most satisfying way possible.

So, let’s lace up our sneakers and explore the fascinating journey of why squats leave your quads asking for a timeout.

 

Quads sore with squats: Why?

Squats primarily target the quadriceps muscles, which are located on the front of your thighs. When you perform squats, your quads are responsible for extending your knees and helping you to stand back up from the squatting position.

The soreness you feel in your quads after squats is due to a combination of factors involving muscle physiology and the nature of the exercise.

Here is the thing:

Microscopic Muscle Damage: During squats, your quads undergo a process called eccentric contraction as you lower your body down. This means your muscle fibers are lengthening while still under tension.

This eccentric loading places stress on the muscle fibers and can lead to microscopic damage. This damage triggers the body’s repair and recovery processes, resulting in soreness as your body repairs and strengthens the muscle fibers.

Lactic Acid Buildup: As you perform squats, your muscles use energy to contract, and this can lead to the accumulation of lactic acid and other metabolic byproducts.

These substances can irritate nerve endings in the muscles, contributing to the sensation of soreness.

Inflammation: The stress placed on the muscles during squats causes a low level of inflammation.

Inflammatory responses are a natural part of the muscle repair process, but they can also contribute to the feeling of soreness.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): The soreness you experience might not be immediate.

It often peaks around 24 to 48 hours after exercise and is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

DOMS occurs as the body works to repair and rebuild the muscle fibers that were stressed during exercise.

Individual Differences: Factors such as your fitness level, how accustomed your muscles are to the exercise, and your form during squats can influence the degree of soreness you experience.

Beginners or those who haven’t been exercising regularly might experience more soreness due to the novelty of the movement and the greater stress placed on their muscles.

Remember that muscle soreness is a natural response to exercise, especially if you’ve introduced a new or intense activity to your routine.

It’s important to allow your body time to recover, stay hydrated, and consider light stretching or low-intensity exercise to help alleviate soreness. Over time, as your muscles adapt and become stronger, the soreness you experience after squats may diminish.

 

Explanations.

Let’s delve deeper, let me explain these points mentioned further.

But first let’s delve deeper into the explanations for the processes of microscopic muscle damage and lactic acid buildup during squats:

Microscopic Muscle Damage: Eccentric Contraction.

When you perform squats, your quadriceps muscles undergo both concentric and eccentric contractions.

Concentric contractions involve muscle fibers shortening while producing force, like when you lift a weight. Eccentric contractions, on the other hand, occur when the muscle fibers lengthen while under tension, such as when you lower your body down during a squat.

During the lowering phase of a squat, your quads are actively lengthening to control the movement.

This eccentric loading creates mechanical stress on the muscle fibers, leading to tiny tears in the muscle tissue at a microscopic level. These micro-tears, or microtrauma, trigger a process known as muscle remodeling.

In response to this damage, your body initiates a series of repair and rebuilding mechanisms.

Immune cells, growth factors, and other biochemical signals are released to the damaged area.

This process is what ultimately leads to muscle growth and increased strength over time.

However, in the short term, the inflammation and repair processes can cause the feeling of soreness as nerve endings are sensitized and the muscles become temporarily inflamed.

 

Lactic Acid Buildup: Metabolic Byproducts.

During squatting, your muscles require energy to contract and perform the movement.

This energy is primarily produced through a process called glycolysis, which breaks down glucose to generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of cells. A byproduct of glycolysis is lactic acid.

As you continue performing squats, lactic acid starts to accumulate in the muscles.

This buildup of lactic acid and other metabolic byproducts can irritate the nerve endings in the muscles.

This irritation contributes to the sensation of discomfort and soreness you experience during and after exercising.

It’s worth noting that while lactic acid is often associated with muscle soreness, recent research suggests that it might not be the main cause of post-exercise soreness, but it does play a role in the overall sensation.

In essence, the combination of eccentric contractions causing microscopic muscle damage and the accumulation of metabolic byproducts like lactic acid contribute to the soreness you feel in your quadriceps after performing squats.

This soreness is a natural part of the muscle adaptation process and typically subsides as your body repairs and strengthens the muscle fibers.

 

Let’s dive deeper into the concepts of inflammation and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS):

Inflammation: Muscle Repair Process.

Inflammation is a fundamental part of the body’s natural healing process.

When you perform exercises like squats, which involve intense muscular contractions and microscopic damage to muscle fibers, your body perceives this stress as an injury.

In response, your immune system triggers an inflammatory response to initiate the repair and recovery process.

During inflammation, immune cells and various signaling molecules are dispatched to the affected area. In the context of muscle soreness after squats, this inflammation serves several purposes:

Initiating Repair:

Immune cells, such as macrophages, are responsible for clearing away damaged tissue and cellular debris from the injured area.

Promoting Healing:

Inflammatory signals prompt the release of growth factors and other molecules that facilitate tissue regeneration and healing.

Adapting to Stress:

The mild inflammation caused by exercise stress triggers a protective adaptation, where the body strengthens the affected muscles to better handle future challenges.

However, this inflammation can also contribute to the sensation of soreness. As immune cells and biochemical signals flood the area, they can activate pain receptors and sensitize nerve endings, leading to discomfort and soreness.

This is why you might experience temporary inflammation-related discomfort after an intense workout.

 

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): Repair and Adaptation.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a specific type of muscle soreness that occurs after a period of time following intense exercise.

It’s not typically felt immediately after the workout but tends to peak around 24 to 48 hours later.

DOMS is especially common in activities that involve eccentric muscle contractions, like the lowering phase of a squat.

DOMS is thought to be a result of the combined effects of muscle fiber damage, inflammation, and the repair and adaptation process. Here’s how it happens:

Microscopic Damage:

During exercises like squats, eccentric contractions lead to small tears in muscle fibers, initiating the repair process.

Inflammatory Response:

Inflammation is triggered to facilitate the removal of damaged tissue and activate repair mechanisms.

Sensitization of Nerve Endings:

The presence of immune cells and inflammatory molecules sensitizes nerve endings in the affected muscles, causing discomfort and pain.

Adaptation and Strengthening:

As the muscles repair, they become stronger and better adapted to the stress of squats, contributing to long-term gains in strength and fitness.

While DOMS can be uncomfortable, it’s a natural response that indicates your muscles are undergoing positive changes.

It’s important to note that while you can manage the discomfort through rest, gentle movement, hydration, and possibly over-the-counter pain relievers, completely preventing DOMS is challenging when engaging in activities that stress the muscles.

In other words, inflammation is a part of the muscle repair process, and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a consequence of the combined effects of muscle damage, inflammation, and the body’s adaptive response to exercise stress.

 

Individual Differences.

Absolutely, individual differences play a significant role in the extent of soreness experienced after squats.

Let’s explore how factors like fitness level, muscle adaptation, and form contribute to varying degrees of soreness:

Fitness Level:

Your fitness level plays a crucial role in how your body responds to physical stress like squats.

Individuals who regularly engage in strength training and have well-conditioned muscles might experience less soreness compared to those who are relatively new to exercise.

Well-trained muscles are more accustomed to the demands of squats and can recover more efficiently.

Muscle Adaptation:

Muscles have an incredible ability to adapt to the stresses placed upon them. When you consistently perform exercises like squats, your muscles undergo a process called muscle adaptation.

Over time, your muscles become better equipped to handle the specific demands of the exercise, leading to reduced soreness.

This is why experienced weightlifters often experience less soreness after squats compared to beginners.

Novelty of Movement:

For individuals new to squats or resistance training in general, the movement might be novel for their muscles.

Performing an unfamiliar movement pattern places greater stress on the muscle fibers and can result in more pronounced soreness.

As your body becomes accustomed to the movement and develops muscle memory, soreness tends to decrease with repeated sessions.

Form and Technique:

Proper form and technique during squats are crucial not only for maximizing benefits but also for minimizing the risk of injury and excessive soreness.

Using incorrect form can lead to improper muscle activation and unnecessary strain on certain muscle groups, potentially intensifying soreness.

Those who maintain good form during squats distribute the workload more evenly across muscles, reducing the likelihood of overloading a specific group.

Rest and Recovery:

The ability to recover also varies among individuals. Factors such as sleep quality, nutrition, hydration, and overall lifestyle choices contribute to how quickly your body can repair and adapt to the stress of squats.

Individuals who prioritize recovery through adequate rest, proper nutrition, and hydration are likely to experience less severe soreness and quicker recovery times.

In summary, individual differences, including fitness level, muscle adaptation, the novelty of movement, and form during squats, contribute to the variability in the degree of soreness experienced.

As your body becomes more accustomed to the exercise, soreness tends to decrease.

Paying attention to proper form, allowing adequate time for recovery, and gradually progressing in your training can all help manage and minimize post-squat soreness.

A concise tabular on this topic here.

Here I provide you with a concise tabular comparison of the reasons why squats make your quads sore, along with the how and why for each factor. Here’s the information presented in a tabular format:

Factor	How It Happens (How)	Why It Leads to Soreness (Why)
Eccentric Contraction	Muscles lengthen under tension during squat descent (eccentric phase).	Microscopic muscle damage occurs, triggering repair and growth processes, leading to soreness.
Lactic Acid Buildup	Muscles use energy (glycolysis) during squats, producing lactic acid and metabolic byproducts.	Lactic acid accumulation irritates nerve endings, contributing to soreness.
Inflammation	Intense muscular contractions cause mild inflammation as part of the natural healing process.	Inflammatory response sensitizes nerve endings, resulting in discomfort and soreness.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)	Microtrauma, inflammation, and repair processes result in DOMS, peaking 24-48 hours post-exercise.	Muscle fibers repair, adapt, and strengthen, while sensitized nerves contribute to the delayed sensation of soreness.
Individual Differences	Fitness level, muscle adaptation, form, and novelty of movement influence soreness variability.	Well-conditioned muscles, proper form, and muscle adaptation lead to less soreness, while novelty and inexperience can increase soreness.

This tabular comparison outlines the distinct factors contributing to quads soreness from squats, explaining how each factor occurs and why it leads to the sensation of soreness.

Conclusion.

In conclusion, the soreness experienced in the quadriceps after performing squats can be attributed to a combination of factors.

Eccentric contractions during the squat’s descent cause microscopic muscle damage, initiating repair and growth processes that result in soreness.

The energy demand of squats leads to lactic acid buildup, which irritates nerve endings and contributes to discomfort. Intense contractions trigger a mild inflammatory response, sensitizing nerves and adding to the sensation of soreness.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) arises from a complex interplay of microtrauma, inflammation, and muscle adaptation, peaking 24-48 hours after exercise.

Individual differences such as fitness level, muscle adaptation, form, and the novelty of movement influence the extent of soreness.

As the body adapts and repairs, soreness diminishes over time, highlighting the intricate interplay between physical stress, muscle response, and discomfort.