ACE Personal Trainer Practice Exam

What is typically associated with greater suffering from DOMS?

1. Concentric exercise

2. Low-intensity exercise

3. Extended aerobic sessions

4. Eccentric exercise

The correct answer is: Eccentric exercise

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is most commonly associated with eccentric exercise. This type of exercise involves the lengthening of the muscle while it is under tension, which leads to more micro-tears in muscle fibers compared to concentric (shortening) exercises. The physical damage to the muscle fibers causes an inflammatory response, which contributes to the sensation of soreness, stiffness, and discomfort typically felt 24 to 72 hours after the activity. Eccentric movements, such as the lowering phase of a bicep curl or the descending portion of a squat, place significant strain on muscles and create more eccentric contractions. Research indicates that individuals tend to experience a higher degree of soreness and prolonged recovery following a workout that includes substantial eccentric components. In contrast, concentric exercises, low-intensity exercise, and extended aerobic sessions generally result in less muscle damage and, therefore, a lesser degree of soreness. Concentric exercises are less likely to lead to DOMS due to lower levels of muscle fiber damage, while low-intensity exercise doesn’t stress the muscles sufficiently to induce significant soreness. Extended aerobic sessions can also lead to fatigue but are less commonly linked to severe DOMS, as they predominantly involve lower-intensity, sustained muscle contractions that do