Delayed onset muscle soreness — DOMS — peaking a day or two after a workout rather than immediately, confuses many beginners who expect soreness to show up right away or not at all.
It's most common with new or unfamiliar movements
A member returning to a familiar routine rarely gets severe DOMS — it shows up most with a genuinely new exercise or a significant jump in training volume.
It's not a required sign of a good workout
A session without noticeable soreness afterward isn't automatically a wasted one — DOMS is one signal among many, not a mandatory proof that training worked.