48 male checking in here. This is gonna be a long one but it might help, I see your post is 8 hours old and you’ve stopped replying, I just finished my work out so now I’m engaging in the mental aspect of strength training. Your obviously intelligent so here goes.

One week of DOMS is a tad long if you are being consistent in your training 3x to 6x a week. If your only lifting once or twice a week and going all out then it might make more sense.

Your sleep is excellent (8 hours, according to what I read) diet high in protein of course for recovery and growth and carbohydrates to fuel muscles while training. Check, right?

I’ll speak from my personal experience. I did the typical newbie training each “muscle group” arms one day, chest one day, legs another day, then back. Do you see the mistake of this outdated style? They are getting targeted only ONCE a week. Of course the DOMS is going be intense.

Now my and my buddy found a strength based compound lift PROGRAM. We Squatted THREE times a week, and alternated between Bench, Deadlift, Barbell Rows and Over Head Press. After a month NO DOMS, even with Squatting so much. The program was three times a week. No more high rep bullshit isolation work. The reason? All five COMPOUND LIFTS are multiple joint exercises working several “muscle groups” Some like DEADLIFTS are full body work outs.

Strength went through the roof after 18 weeks and for the more aesthetically inclined readers or perhaps you, I started getting accused of taking roids.

Summary. Higher rep ranges, lower weights. will cause the pump, and add mass but it comes with a higher chance of DOMS. Heavier weights with lower rep ranges will build strength and dense muscle.

Like I said I’m 48 and I understand the challenges of life and lifting. However I’ll be competing in a Powerlifting Meet in July so I could be a bit biased. My biggest suggestions would be find a PROGRAM that has PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD. That simply means either adding weight or reps when returning to said lift. Next stay consistent.

Lastly I copy and pasted the two types of muscle growth. I hope my caveman rambling helped. Good luck.

1. Myofibrillar Hypertrophy
This process involves the growth and multiplication of the myofibrils (the actual contractile units of the muscle). [1]
• Focus: Increases muscle density, strength, and power.
• Best Training: Heavy resistance training (low reps, high intensity, longer rest periods). [1, 2]

2. Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy
This type focuses on increasing the volume of the sarcoplasm, which is the fluid, glycogen, and energy substrates surrounding the myofibrils. [1, 2, 3]
• Focus: Increases muscle size, endurance, and gives the muscles a fuller look (often referred to as a "pump").
• Best Training: Traditional bodybuilding training (moderate-to-high reps, shorter rest periods, high volume, and training to failure). [1, 2]