DOMS/ Water Retention

[Saylee]

When I change my routine or come back after taking some time off, I usually end up with pretty bad DOMS.
How can I prevent that? I am stretching/ foam rolling after lifting; should I be drinking more fluids? Would that bring down the inflammation?
Also, I am always way more sore in my lower body.

[Lost Dog]

I've never found anything that helps mine, but I don't get it too bad. If it's consistently a problem, you could ease into your routine changes more slowly. If your new routine calls for 3x12 of an exercise, try 1x12, 2x12 or 2x8, 3x8 but with the weight you'd be using for 12 full reps. Still not guaranteed, but considering you often need to play around with the weights to find the right number the first workout anyway...

[riverboarder]

I remember an instructor telling me that sometimes after a hard workout or returning from a lay off that in addition to the micro-tears of breaking your muscles down that will rebuild, sometimes a certain amino acid leaks out and irritates nerve cells around the muscle. So if it's been more than 48 hours since the workout and you're still sore after recuperative methods you mentioned, try a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with a little bit of water. The base will neutralize the acid and cut down on the irritation. The reason I wait 48 hours is that I figure that before that it's just normal muscle soreness that will go away quickly.

[Aoife]

I always ramp up when doing a new workout for precisely that reason. Before actually starting the workout, doing it like it's all a warmup, basically. Lower weights than I'd really use, about a week before starting the new routine. It makes the DOMS (which I'll likely still get) less severe, faster recovering, and making it easier for me to foam roll and move and stretch more (which then leads to even faster recovery).