[Chris]

Muscle soreness is a debated question amongst trainers everywhere, some think you need it for growth, other disagree. This is basically because how your body builds muscle is still greatly untouched by science. We have an idea of how it occurs, but we are no where near an exact science as to what specifically is going on there. The more educated person you ask, the less they will tell you we know about it. The honest anwser is I don't think it's neccessary for growth. However it appears to me that it's part of your body's response to a tremendous stress. Meaning you've placed your body in a position where it needs to adapt. And that soreness is coming with adaptation or growth. Typically you feel it most after you've taken significat time off training, as a beginner, or when beginning a new routine. Which to me means your body hasn't yet adapted to the way your training it. I think it's a positive thing and would continue to strive to have it. But, that doesn't neccessarily mean that just because you don't have it that your training is ineffective either.