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22 July 2025

Get to know DOMS and how to recover from it!

Taken part in your first MAN v FAT Soccer session and can’t walk the next day? That’s DOMS. Painful as it is, it can be a good thing! Here’s how to deal with DOMS.

What are DOMS?

DOMS stands for delayed-onset muscle soreness. It’s muscle soreness you might experience after exercizing, especially if you haven’t exercised for a while or if you’ve had a vigorous session. You might feel it in one place, like your legs, when you move or tense those muscles. It comes on around 24-48 hours after exercise and can last for a few days.

Is it actually DOMS?

It’s important to note here that DOMS are delayed, so it’s not something you feel during exercise. It’s also soreness, so it’s not a sharp or severe pain that stops you from doing everyday activities. That’s more likely to be an injury and is something you should get checked out by a doctor. DOMS makes everyday movement uncomfortable but doable. If, after a walk or warming up your muscles, the discomfort improves, it’s DOMS and not an injury. You can relax, it’s normal. If it’s sharp pain you’re feeling, or limiting your activity, get seen by your GP.

Why do we get DOMS?

DOMS is due to tiny tears in your muscles from moving them in a way your body isn’t used to. That can be from doing an exercise that is new to you or if you exercise more vigorously than you’re used to. This can include returning to exercise after a break. The pain is thought to be the body’s inflammatory response to these tears. It’s a totally normal response to sudden stress put on your muscles, and it’s very common. Though tearing up your muscles sounds bad, the actual tears are microscopic and easily repaired by your body.

Are DOMS a good thing?

You’ve heard of no pain, no gain, right? Well, feeling sore after exercise isn’t a goal you should aim for per se, because that might lead to you pushing yourself too far and ending up with an injury. Even if you don’t injure yourself, pushing yourself to do too much, too soon, can lead to you feeling fatigued, overwhelmed and demotivated. But there is a small nugget of truth in the ‘no pain, no gain’ philosophy, as when you work your muscles enough to produce these tiny tears, your body will get to work repairing them. And if you give your body the right tools to repair your muscles, it can help you to build muscle mass.

Will I always experience DOMS?

As you get used to being active and your body gets used to the exercises you perform, you’ll experience DOMS less and less. This is where real progress is made, because if you keep it up, you’ll soon be able to do the hard things that once caused you to crawl up the stairs without any soreness the next day. Then you can gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. Of course, if you stop exercizing, then try to exercise at the same intensity after several weeks you’ll likely get DOMS again as your body won’t be used to moving in that way. Also, to hit your fitness goals a varied program alongside MAN v FAT Soccer is beneficial. By trying and performing new exercises you open yourself up to DOMS as muscles are be used in different ways.

How to beat DOMS

You know about delayed onset muscle soreness, but do you know how to recover and prevent them? Let’s dive in.

Recovering from DOMS

Recovering from your soreness in a healthy way is what helps your body repair your muscles and what will lead to that coveted increase in muscle mass. But the important bit here is that you have to do it in a healthy way. Rest is absolutely vital, and if you’re looking to reduce fat and build muscle, rest is just as important as activity.

Make sure to have rest days in between your MAN v FAT Soccer sessions and other exercise. This should include ‘active recovery’, where you do light exercise, like stretching and walking. It’ll probably feel awful at first but warming up your muscles gently like this will do them good and is actually one of the most effective ways of easing the soreness through increased blood flow.
Try and get enough sleep. Our body does its best repairing and rebuilding when we’re asleep so get your head down.
Drink plenty of water and keep up your healthy eating, making sure your diet includes lots of lean protein.
Massage your sore muscles. A foam roller can help.

How to prevent DOMS

The only fool-proof way of preventing DOMS completely is not exercizing, but there are things you can do to lessen the soreness. Always make sure you warm up before you start exercizing so that your muscles are warm and ready to go. Make your warm-ups dynamic, meaning that you move around mimicking the movements you’re about to do during the bulk of your workout. Lads, static stretches are old news and don’t serve much of a purpose in a warm up. Similarly, cooling down after your workout is a must to allow your muscles to gradually get used to not moving as vigorously again. Preventing DOMS is mostly about finding a good balance between pushing yourself enough during exercise to have an effect and not overdoing it.

Get the pump?

We all want to be able to instantly do Arnie level workouts at the gym, or be able to outrun Usain Bolt, but listen to your body and go easy. Losing weight takes time and though that can be frustrating, push yourself too hard and you’ll be dealing with a lot more than just a bit of muscle soreness. Injury = woe. If you’re trying to step up your intensity but don’t feel comfortable, try and find a happy medium. How about you gradually increase the intensity instead.

30 May 2025

Physio Spotlight: Warm Ups

How do I know a quick 5-minute stretch doesn’t make you match ready? Because that’s exactly what I did when I turned up to my first game and I’ve seen plenty of other guys do it too. In that first match, I played for 5 minutes, made one sprint down the right wing, and tore my calf. That injury took me out of a playoff-contending team for weeks. Worse still, it hit my motivation hard, playing soccer was one of the biggest reasons I joined MAN v FAT Soccer to begin with.

Could it have been prevented? Maybe. Injuries can strike at any time. I’ve seen guys tear ACLs from non-contact movements, just an awkward twist or landing – even perfectly healthy, fit players aren’t immune. There are no guarantees, but you can take steps to reduce your risk. And one of the best is a proper warm-up.

A warm-up prepares your muscles for the movement and impact you’re about to put them through. It loosens joints, activates muscles, and sets your body up to perform. Warm-ups reduce stiffness in connective tissues, improve nerve signals, and help your muscles respond better to what’s coming.

Clinical research shows that structured warm-up routines can cut injury risk by a massive 50%. Spending just 30 minutes warming up can improve blood flow, boost oxygen delivery, and delay fatigue – meaning fewer muscle tears and strains. It also gradually raises your heart rate and gets your cardiovascular system prepped for the match.

According to Brukner and Khan (a go-to guide in sports medicine), a quality warm-up should include jogging, general stretching (both static and dynamic), and resistance-based exercises. Stretching helps increase your range of motion, which not only prevents injury but can also improve performance and reduce soreness.

Your warm-up should reflect the sport you’re playing. For soccer, that means movements like shooting, passing, and ball control. Strike a few balls into an empty net. Move laterally. Mimic the motions you’ll use in-game.

And don’t underestimate the mental benefits. Warm-ups give you a chance to mentally prepare, build focus, and get your head in the game. You can talk tactics, connect with teammates, and ease any nerves. Jumping straight into a match without getting into the right frame of mind—and body—can throw you completely off.

What Can I Do to Warm Up?

Jogging
Light jogging helps your body adjust to the physical demands of soccer. It warms you up and raises your heart rate.
Can’t jog? A brisk 5–10-minute walk will work too.

Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are great for activating specific muscles and adding load to your warm-up. They’re different from traditional stretching and target key muscle groups. Research even shows loaded dynamic warm-ups improve power and performance in sports. Boom.

Try these:

Side steps
Donkey kicks
Kicking motions

Static Stretching

Static stretching involves holding a position for around 30 seconds. It’s basic, safe, and helps your muscles relax.
Make sure it feels comfortable. If there’s any pain, ease up – you’re likely overstretching.

Examples:

Calf stretch
Cross-arm shoulder stretch
Hamstring stretch

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretches involve controlled movement and mimic soccer-specific actions. These increase your heart rate and promote mobility through multiple planes of motion. They also enhance nerve activity and prepare your muscles for gameplay.

Examples:

High knees
Leg swings
Open and close the gate
Arm circles
Skips
Heel flicks
Sweeping the turf

Set up cones about 15 paces apart and move between them while performing each stretch. It keeps things fluid and fun.

Warm up do’s and don’ts

When it comes to warming up for a MAN v FAT Soccer match, it’s important to get it right without overdoing it. Aim to raise your heart rate and feel your muscles activating, but don’t push yourself so hard that you’re out of breath before kick-off. You want to break a sweat, not burn out. Avoid the “no pain, no gain” mentality, it doesn’t apply here. Focus on movements that mimic what you’ll actually be doing during the game, especially lower body exercises and light cardio. Keep static stretches short and controlled; they have their place, but deep stretching before a match can do more harm than good, especially if you’re just getting back into fitness. Also, steer clear of ballistic stretching – those quick, jerky motions at the end of a stretch aren’t worth the risk. A well-paced, sport-specific warm-up that gets your body moving and your mind focused is your best bet for staying injury-free and playing at your best.

Warm-Up Plan

Resistance Bands

Side steps: 30 sec each direction
Donkey kicks: 30 sec each leg
Front kicks: 30 sec each leg
Adductor stretch: both legs
Abductor stretch: both legs

Dynamic Stretches (move between cones)

High knees
Front leg flicks
Mimic passing (alternate feet)
Open the gate
Close the gate
Cross-body kicks
Sweep the turf
Heel flicks
Jog with arm rotations
High-knee skips

Static Stretches

Hamstring stretch
Quad stretch
Groin stretch
Cross-body shoulder stretch

That’s your full pre-match warm-up! Stick to it, tweak it to suit your body, and give yourself the best shot at avoiding injury and enjoying every minute on the pitch with MAN v FAT Soccer.

26 July 2024

5 simple dynamic warm-ups to avoid injury

Be honest, do you warm up? Well, you’re not alone. Very few of us warm up our bodies like we should. Avoid exercise-related injuries with these simple dynamic warm-ups.

If you think of warming up before exercise, chances are that you think about stretches. Stuff like putting your arm behind your back and stretching out your leg behind you.

While these moves do have a place, they’re static, still stretches. How about opting for dynamic stretches? Active movements help our bodies limber up and prep muscles for the strain to come. A lighter intensity version of the exercise you’re about to do can really help too.

Not sure where to start? Begin with trying these 5 simple dynamic warm-ups to get the blood flowing and get you primed for action.

Leg swings

Standing straight, hold a wall for support.
Swing your left leg back and forth gently.
Repeat for 10 swings, then swap legs.
You should find that each swing allows your leg to go a little higher, increasing the range of movement at the joint.

Lunge rotation

Standing tall, gaze forward with your back straight.
Take your left leg forward and bend the knee.
Drop your right knee to the ground as you do so.
Then rotate your torso to the right and turn your head to look over your right shoulder.
Hold for 2-3 seconds, then release and come back up to standing.
Aim for 4-5 rotations on each side.

Walkouts

Great for engaging your lower and upper body, stand tall and bend at the hips, keeping your legs straight.
Drop your arms down to the floor and walk with your hands forward until your body is in a plank position; hands under your shoulders and body in a straight horizontal position.
Then slowly walk your hands back towards your feet, eventually coming back up to standing.

Arm circles

Keeping your arms straight, raise them forward and rotate them all the way behind you in a big circular movement.
Repeat 5 arm circles forward, then 5 arm circles back.

Glute bridges

Waking up your glute (butt) muscles is important as they’re generally incredibly inactive from long periods spent sitting down. If your glutes aren’t woken up prior to exercize, other muscles in your legs may end up working harder to make up for sleepy bum muscles, and this can lead to injury.

Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
Slowly lift your hips up from the ground, keeping your upper back firmly down on the floor.
Once your hips are lifted, hold the position for 5 seconds, squeezing your glutes, then slowly lower yourself back down.
Aim to repeat this 10 times.

Not warm enough? Want more? No problemo.

Bodyweight squats

With your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees and drop down slowly, keeping your back upright and gaze forward. Keep your heels glued to the floor. Then, pushing through your heels, rise back up to standing. Aim for 10-15 repetitions.

Skipping

No rope? No problem! Simply act out the movements with an invisible rope. Aim to do this for 1 minute, whether your rope is real or imaginary. Get ready to feel the pump in your calf muscles!

Jumping jacks

AKA star jumps, there will wake up your entire body and raise your heart rate too.

Jump both feet out simultaneously while lifting your arms out to either side of your body and touching your hands up above your head. Then drop your arms back down to your side as you jump your feet back together. Aim for 20 repetitions.

26 July 2024

How does MAN v FAT Soccer scoring work?

Keen for success on your MAN v FAT Soccer journey? You’ll need to know how the scoring system works, so let’s get to it.

On the field, the rules for MAN v FAT Soccer are pretty similar to the rules for any small-sided soccer league.

Off the field, and unique to MAN v FAT Soccer, are a number of weight loss and healthy habit related bonus goals, that can be scored by individuals and teams to bolster the scores – and often decide the winner of the tie. 

Players can score bonus goals in four ways:

Team Bonus – each week we add up the number of players on your team that have either lost weight versus the previous week, or maintained a healthy BMI* and award a bonus goal for each pair, up to a maximum of 5 goals per squad – so that’s 1 bonus goal per every 2 players losing weight, with half goals rounded up. *Once players reach a healthy BMI, it’s no longer responsible to encourage them to keep losing weight, so the rules switch up for them and they get bonuses for maintaining a healthy BMI, whether they lose or gain weight. Players who record a weight that is both heavier than the previous week and heavier than they were at the start of the current season will score an own goal.

Hat Tricks – any time an individual player records three losses within their club’s league season, they score 1 full bonus goal. These losses don’t need to be consecutive, but don’t overlap seasons, so one player can get a maximum of 4 hat tricks for his team each season.
5% loss bonuses – any time a player reaches an incremental milestone loss of 5% of his body weight, he gets 3 full bonus goals for his team, a maximum of twice per season. This is always based off your weight when you first join us, so you’ll get a bonus for losing 5%, 10%, 15% of that starting weight, and so on, until you reach a healthy BMI for your height.If you manage to lose 15% of your starting weight in just one season, first of all, hats off to you, and second of all, don’t worry about losing out on those sweet, sweet bonuses – they’ll carry over to the first week of the following season so you can hit the ground running.
Food Diary Tracking – Teams will score 1 additional bonus goal for every 1-3 players to complete their weekly food diaries. What’s great about this is it encourages both mindfulness about your eating habits and a supportive team, since you’ll all need to work together and be accountable to one another if you want to get the maximum number of points.

You know how to score goals on the pitch, field? Just kick the ball in the net!

22 July 2024

First MAN v FAT Soccer session? Don’t panic!

Worried about fat jokes, not being spoken to or feeling out of place on the field? Turning up to spend the evening with a load of strangers can be nerve-racking but we’ve got you.

You’re not alone if you feel a slight sweat coming on at the thought of your first MAN v FAT Soccer session. You don’t need to worry though. We’ve got your back, and all your team members will have it too, we promise. Let’s break down some of the misconceptions or fears that might be racing through your mind and see if we can get you feeling good to go.

Sticking out like a sore thumb

Nope – this couldn’t be further from the truth. Remember, every guy at your session will be in the same boat and you can guarantee the Coach will make you feel welcome. By the end of the session, you’ll be reveling in your team’s camaraderie.

Fat jokes

It’s easy for you to feel uncomfortable when you hear fat jokes being batted around. After all, you’ve probably experienced times they’ve been directed your way. Not cool. If you do hear any, there’s a high chance it’ll be a player directing them at themselves, not you. So, no worries there!

No one talking to you

All the guys are signed up to MAN v FAT Soccer for the same reason… to lose weight. So, there’s no hidden agenda there plus you’ve instantly got your first topic of conversation if you need an ‘in’. Win!

You’re all men going through the same thing, at the same time. Sure, some may be further down the road than you when it comes to weight loss but that will just show you that the end goal is in reach. Be bold, jump in and strike up a conversation if you’re feeling nervous and get those first intro chats out of the way early.

Being no good at soccer

Want to lose weight? Good. Like soccer? Great. That’s all that matters. In our UK program, we’ve had gents turn up who haven’t played in 40 years. We’ve had others that come more for the social side than the soccer. Whatever your reason for signing up, we’re glad you have.

And to help calm those fears once last time, there are no scouts at our games. Whether you score from the halfway line or scuff your kick and the ball goes towards the corner flag, it doesn’t matter. What matters is the fact you’re with us and you’re on the journey to losing weight.

Losing weight can feel miserable at times. Calorie deficits, regular exercise, making sure you eat enough protein and sleep well. You know the phrase, ‘misery loves company’? That’s what makes your relationship with your teammates unique. You’re in this together and we’re here to do everything we can to help too.

1 January 2024

What You need to know

We’re thrilled that you’ve taken the first step of starting your weight loss journey with us and, ahead of your first night, here’s everything you need to know.

First up, your kit! Here’s what you’ll need:-

A soccer jersey or a t-shirt without a hood.
Shorts or jogging pants
Socks
Shin guards – these are compulsory for all players, including goalkeepers.
Footwear. We’d recommend you have indoor or turf shoes for your sessions at MAN v FAT
If you wear glasses, we must tell you that they’re worn at your own risk. We’d recommend that you wear sports goggles or contact lenses to be on the safe side.
Bring a water bottle too – it’s going to be important to stay hydrated!

Some helpful resources

To get yourself ready, we’ve prepared a special Exercise 101 booklet, to give you some exercises to do at home ahead of getting started!

And you can get yourself ready in the kitchen too, with our awesome Food As Fuel guide!

Finally, ahead of your early weeks with MAN v FAT, it’s worth taking a look at our Safe Return To Exercise video, giving you some really helpful advice before pulling on your cleats!

Feeling the nerves?

If you’re excited about your first session but nervous too, don’t worry. It’s nerve-wracking to walk into a new environment full of people you don’t know. Combine that with not knowing what to expect, and we don’t blame you if you’re feeling a little nervous.

But we’re here to support you at every step of the way. Here are the key concerns we see from people who are just starting.

What if I’m the biggest guy there?

This is by far the biggest concern we hear from new players. All MAN v FAT Soccer players must have a BMI of over 27.5 to join, and men of all shapes and sizes play in our leagues.

Remember that they all started where you are now – overweight and wanting to lose weight.

I don’t know what to expect

It’s hard to imagine what something unknown is going to be like and nerves around this are natural.

We’ve put together a short video of a typical MAN v FAT Soccer session and you can read through our FAQS to familiarise yourself on how this all works.

I don’t do well in new social situations

That’s OK, no one is going to judge you if you’re not immediately the life and soul of the party, and the choice is always yours to get involved as little or as much as you like.

You’ve already got two things in common, the desire to lose weight and soccer, so it might surprise you how much you enjoy the social aspect.

But I’m not very good at soccer/I’ve never played before!
No one who joins starts off on a Messi level, and we see men who haven’t kicked a ball around since they were a kid join and do well. And besides, you’ll get better as the weeks go on and your fitness improves.

We can’t wait to welcome you to MAN v FAT Soccer and to see the great progress you make in your time with us!

Got any more questions?

Remember, you can check out our FAQ guide or just drop us a line at support@manvfatsoccer.com and we’d be glad to help!

Lose weight, Play Soccer

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Launched in Florida in 2024, MAN v FAT Soccer brings the UK's leading male-only weight loss program to the USA. Find your nearest league and register to secure your spot.

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Email: support@manvfatsoccer.com

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What are DOMS?

Is it actually DOMS?

Why do we get DOMS?

Are DOMS a good thing?

Will I always experience DOMS?

How to beat DOMS

Recovering from DOMS

How to prevent DOMS

Get the pump?

What Can I Do to Warm Up?

Static Stretching

Dynamic Stretching

Warm up do’s and don’ts

Warm-Up Plan

Leg swings

Lunge rotation

Walkouts

Arm circles

Glute bridges

Bodyweight squats

Skipping

Jumping jacks

Sticking out like a sore thumb

Fat jokes

No one talking to you

Being no good at soccer

Some helpful resources

Feeling the nerves?

What if I’m the biggest guy there?

I don’t know what to expect

I don’t do well in new social situations

Got any more questions?

Lose weight, Play Soccer

Contact

Links

Social