Why your legs hurt for days after heavy squats
Recovery after Heavy Resistance Exercise and Skeletal Muscle Androgen Receptor and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Isoform Expression in Strength Trained Men
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Androgen receptor (AR) expression didn’t change at all—even after heavy lifting.
Everyone assumes lifting increases ARs to soak up more testosterone. But this study found zero change in AR protein or mRNA, suggesting muscle growth may not depend on more receptors.
Practical Takeaways
Wait at least 6 days before hitting heavy legs again if you want to feel fully recovered and avoid overtraining.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Androgen receptor (AR) expression didn’t change at all—even after heavy lifting.
Everyone assumes lifting increases ARs to soak up more testosterone. But this study found zero change in AR protein or mRNA, suggesting muscle growth may not depend on more receptors.
Practical Takeaways
Wait at least 6 days before hitting heavy legs again if you want to feel fully recovered and avoid overtraining.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2011
Authors
J. Ahtiainen, M. Lehti, J. Hulmi, W. Kraemer, M. Alen, K. Nyman, H. Selänne, A. Pakarinen, J. Komulainen, V. Kovanen, A. Mero, K. Häkkinen
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Claims (10)
Intense resistance exercise induces transient muscle swelling due to localized inflammation and fluid accumulation from microtrauma.
Muscle swelling induced by resistance training may persist for up to 72 hours post-exercise, potentially confounding hypertrophy measurements if assessed within this window.
The more the thigh swells after a workout, the more the MGF repair protein increases — suggesting MGF might be triggered by physical stretching or swelling in the muscle.
During a tough leg workout, testosterone levels spike temporarily, but they go back to normal by the next day and don’t stay high.
After a heavy leg workout, men report their legs feeling very sore — about 3 out of 5 on a pain scale — and it lasts for at least two days.