The importance of DOMS

[TForce]

Is it absolutely necessary to experience DOMS in order to get gains? Say, for instance, that I work chest, shoulders, and triceps together, but I work them out twice a week, and assuming that you can only work out once per day, without doing a super hardcore two-hour long workout, it's pretty much a given that you are not going to experience DOMS with this type of workout. However, you will be working them out twice a week and getting at least the same amount of work on them. Even though you don't feel the effects of ripping apart a large percentage of your muscle fibers in one sitting, you are still accomplishing something similar. The optimal method is not completely clear in my mind.

This does not really account for things like super high intensity and shocking methods. I just wanted to get a clear cut answer on this old school methodology, as I never really got to apply this to the type of diet that I should have been eating back when I was first introduced to it. Obviously, you can work with different types of exercises on alternating days of the week, and so forth, hitting different areas of the muscles. Is there any potential to this type of work-out if it doesn't result in DOMS, though accounting for a good diet, or is this just obsolete?

[Growth In Motion]

You dont have to feel DOMS to get gains. I mean, you are working them twice a week, which means you probably wont feel DOMS, if ever.

[Chiron]

DOMS for me a sign that I pushed myself to the extreme and got in a real solid workout. That is how I measure my workouts, according to DOMS severity, its not the right way but thats my preference. But as Growth said, you dont need DOMS to get gains. I feel its all about shocking a muscle group and getting an intense blood pump.