Hand Weights Weakness

jillcwhite

I work out every morning. I use hand weights about 10 - 15 minutes at the end of my cardio. I have been using 8 pounds for about 9 months now. The last week or two they feel to heavy to me. I feel weaker. I struggle to do what I have been doing for months. Has anyone had this issue before? Does it pass? I was thinking of going down to 5 pound weights, but feel I need the 8 pounds to burn more calories. ( This is in a Jazzercise class)

jamaka1

i believe it depends on how you feel from day 2 day, and do you do them when ur fatigue. i do weights and i feel the same way sometimes, just continue and push urself. REPEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN DO THIS

erickirb

Not sure how you are working out, but don't work the same muscle groups within 48 hours of each other. If you do biceps one day don't do them again for 2 to 3 days. Your muscles get bigger and stronger during the rest period, without rest your muscles will never recover and they will get weaker.

MartiWillett

you may be tired of the same routine. try switching it up. you may also be burnt out, try taking one days rest.

CGade

Hang in there! Sometimes there are other factors that may contribute to the weakness...be kind to yourself, listen to your body. Maybe switch it up and try something else for a while...whatever feels right. Remember we are in this to help ourselves, not nazi bootcamp ourselves into submission. Take care!!!!

tross0924

So you're still able to do it, but you just feel kinda weak right? Sometimes when I work out I'll feel weaker than normal, but I can still do everything; it just feels off. For me it's usually related to what, how much, and when I've eaten last.

Once your body uses up the carbs (energy) in your blood it'll start burning fat which is great but also doesn't feel normal. Runners sometimes call it hitting the wall. They expend all the carbs that they loaded before the event and then have to burn their fat for energy. They still keep running and turn in really good times, but not their best times.

As long as it's just a feeling, and you're not in any pain or unable to do the work, I wouldn't go down to 5 lbs. Actually if you've been doing 8 for 9 months you might want to consider going up to 10. :-)

cspinney

You are doing the same exercises with weights every single day? I would try alternating days - one day with weights, one day without (or even two for a while since it sounds like you may have been over doing it).

AdamATGATT

As long as it's just a feeling, and you're not in any pain or unable to do the work, I wouldn't go down to 5 lbs. Actually if you've been doing 8 for 9 months you might want to consider going up to 10. :-)

This is what I do. Every week (sometimes week and a half if I'm having a hard go of it), I bump up my weights by 2.5 pounds. I started with using 10 lbs weights during the first week of P90, but am currently at 17.5 lbs. By the start of next week, it'll be going up to 20 lbs. It constantly gives me a hard workout.

Edit: Whoops. I forgot to add that you definitely should be changing up your routine constantly to work different muscle groups and keep them confused, as others have said.

jillcwhite

I do different exercises everyday. Biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest ect.. rotate. I am glad I am not the only one that gets this feeling. It can get discouraging to feel weaker. I have slowed down my reps when I feel like I may not be able to continue. Hoping it will pass. It's like when you get a cold you can still get through your day but not a normal energy. Maybe my muscles are not feeling well

heathersmilez

Not sure how you are working out, but don't work the same muscle groups within 48 hours of each other. If you do biceps one day don't do them again for 2 to 3 days. Your muscles get bigger and stronger during the rest period, without rest your muscles will never recover and they will get weaker.

What do you think of the 30 day shred then? If its 30 days of consistent weight lifting (by consistent I mean it’s the same muscle groups being done daily, combination of biceps, deltoids, triceps etc) BUT only 20 minutes does that change this rule?

tross0924

Not sure how you are working out, but don't work the same muscle groups within 48 hours of each other. If you do biceps one day don't do them again for 2 to 3 days. Your muscles get bigger and stronger during the rest period, without rest your muscles will never recover and they will get weaker.

What do you think of the 30 day shred then? If its 30 days of consistent weight lifting (by consistent I mean it’s the same muscle groups being done daily, combination of biceps, deltoids, triceps etc) BUT only 20 minutes does that change this rule?

I started a job once where I was working at counter height and then had to bend down for to put something on a rack . . . every 10 seconds or so for 8 hours. At the end of the first day my back was killing me. End of day 2 and I wanted to kill me. It took about 2 weeks and a couple hundred motrin, but it was 7 days a week with no rest. After 2 weeks of pain it started to go away and my back muscles got stronger. I got faster and the work became much easier.

Rest isn't a requirement for building muscle, it just makes the process faster and easier on you.

BTW assembly line jobs suck really really really bad. :-)