Muscle soreness and master athletes

[Rajtar]

I was training 3 ladies in their sixties recently, one of them trained with me before and she was so impressed that she brought 2 of her friends for her next training session. We did some basic body weight squats from the box, we learned how to squat first and did 3 sets of 8, no weights. After thet we did deadlift with just a bar and good form obviously. All 3 ladies went home happy and booked next session 4 days later. I have explained to them what i do, that i specialise in strength training using starting strength method. I explained how beneficial this kind of training is, especially if you are over 60. The only thing i forgot to mension was the possible muscle soreness they could expect the next day. They came back to the gym and said they have changed their mind about training, two of them apparently could not move their legs for two days. I explained to them that this will not happened every time, because they have not done squats and deadlifts before their muscles were weak and that's why they were experiencing so much muscle soreness. I have even said that because of this they should continue training, if they could not stand up from the chair on their own 8 times in a row without getting sore muscles the next day when they are 60 what will happen in 10 years time if they will not train these muscles. But unfortunately they were very stubborn and decided to stick to training on a treadmill holding a handrails.
Sometimes i wonder what is wrong with some people.

[autumnal]

Well, it sounds like a big part of what was wrong was that you gave them no warning about muscle soreness. If none of them trained with weights seriously before, that may have been quite an unpleasant experience for them.

They know the soreness was caused by the training, so saying "it would be so much worse if you don't work out", may not effective? You have to put yourself in their shoes, in order to be a really good trainer.

Sully's BBRx has a great section on training novice masters that can't squat. Some of those ideas probably would have served you well, and may in the future. Best of luck.

[57bergstrm]

Bad luck. Im a 65+ and having big problems with doms when doing squats. You should probably have done 3x5, or maybe started them in a legpress. geezers are very volume sensitive (total number of reps)Probably even more so when being a total detrained beginner.
Better luck next time!

[Mark E. Hurling]

you gave them no warning about muscle soreness.

This. Tell them at the outset of the session before you have them do anything. Soreness happens. I have training for nearly 50 years and just today my triceps and lower back are still sore from push presses and high pulls done on Tuesday. Which soreness asserted itself a couple of days before and prompted me to maybe trying tomorrow for OHP's and deadlifts.

[Rajtar]

I agree that not telling them about possible soreness was a mistake, but it was not their first day in the gym and they had no problem with body weight squats and light deadlifts, very flexible. And one of them trained with me before and knew what to expect.
I just wanted to get it off my chest as it never happened before, and i train people of all ages.
I guess next time i will inform all my clients about muscle soreness, when you train for a long time like me you are simply used to it i guess.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I just wanted to get it off my chest

When you train and instruct people, it is not about you.

Drop your ego and think of those who wish to be better and who trusted you to make them better. If and when they accept your tutelage, you are tasked with helping them achieve those goals.

[chrisd]

Yep, always give the DOMS warning. It is bad practice not to. Without knowing the facts, the client can't give informed consent.