Weights and 'lifting to the point of exhaustion'

Lozze · August 2011

I was doing my weights today and bar a couple of machines (ones I hadn't used before and want to get comfortable with before I get to the point of exhaustion. I decided this after hurting my neck on an abdominal crunch weight machine) I'm trying to lift to the point of exhaustion.

On most machines I was able to do the 2 sets with 12 reps without having to stop, but the last two or three were hard. However on a couple of these my muscles felt like they were cramping and hurt, but not a bad hurt if you know what I mean? Is this what is meant by 'to exhaustion'?

I had a couple of machines (mainly upper body) that I could only do in split sets. So I'd do six and have to take a 10 second break then do the next six. Is this OK?

Lastly, I'm noticing a big difference between my right arm and my left arm. I'm a softball pitcher and have been for over 10 years. As a result of this my right arm is a lot stronger than my left. When I'm doing upper body weights I can feel the difference between the two and it's a very odd sensation. Bar doing weights, is there any way this will stop?

bluevwgurl · August 2011

i'd like to know about this too. my left is sadly weak compared to my right (i'm right handed). my thought was doing a few more reps with the left to get it to "catch up", but have not found anyone as of yet to ask if this is possible (seems logical, right?). maybe someone will answer your question, and in turn answer mine too! Good luck!

welloiledmachine · August 2011

Good for you doing weights. It would be a good idea to use dumbbells to help strengthen that left arm so you are doing both arms separate. You definitely want to feel a burn when strength training. If you don't feel any soreness then next day, then you might want to bump up the weight. It's a good idea to do 3 sets of 8 reps with a 30 sec to 1 minute break in between. Since you are just starting out, just get used to it all and if you increase your weight over time, that is great.
It really all depends on what your overall goal is.

Tip on getting your left arm the same as the right. Just don't do more with the right than left. Dumbbells will be the best way to do this.

Lozze · August 2011

Good for you doing weights. It would be a good idea to use dumbbells to help strengthen that left arm so you are doing both arms separate. You definitely want to feel a burn when strength training. If you don't feel any soreness then next day, then you might want to bump up the weight. It's a good idea to do 3 sets of 8 reps with a 30 sec to 1 minute break in between. Since you are just starting out, just get used to it all and if you increase your weight over time, that is great.
It really all depends on what your overall goal is.

Would that just be tricep and bicep work with my left arm? My gym has free weights that I can use. (I have thsoe little home weights somewhere but they're only 1kg)

I was increasing the weights on the machines today (I did one with my legs and it went down very fast and SLAMMED into the end. Even as I was moving the weight up, one of the guys yelled out 'You need heavier weights love!') On some I ended up moving them up by as much as 20kg.

My goal is to be healthy and to achieve that I need to lose weight. (my current goal is another 43kg but I'm going to reevaluate the closer I get)

tross0924 · August 2011

Good for you doing weights. It would be a good idea to use dumbbells to help strengthen that left arm so you are doing both arms separate. You definitely want to feel a burn when strength training. If you don't feel any soreness then next day, then you might want to bump up the weight. It's a good idea to do 3 sets of 8 reps with a 30 sec to 1 minute break in between. Since you are just starting out, just get used to it all and if you increase your weight over time, that is great.
It really all depends on what your overall goal is.

Tip on getting your left arm the same as the right. Just don't do more with the right than left. Dumbbells will be the best way to do this.

+1

I've always defined "to exhaustion" as being physically unable to complete the lift. You're straining as hard as you can, but that weight is stuck half way up and it's not going anywhere. Then personally I throw in a few negative lifts (cheat the weight up somehow and then lower it as slowly as you can) to make sure it's total exhaustion.

And to balance differences step away from the bars and grab the dumbbells. If you use a bar you can work one arm / side harder than the other. If you use dumbbells then you have to work both the same. Use the same weight for each arm. It will be easier with the stronger arm, but only work as hard as the weaker arm can, and you'll get caught up soon.

tross0924 · August 2011

Would that just be tricep and bicep work with my left arm?

That's everything. Bench press, Bicep work, Tricep work, shoulders. Anything you can do with a bar you can do with a dumbbell. And until you get balanced you probably should use the bells. If you have too big of a discrepancy between sides you can hurt yourself a lot easier.

welloiledmachine · August 2011

Good for you doing weights. It would be a good idea to use dumbbells to help strengthen that left arm so you are doing both arms separate. You definitely want to feel a burn when strength training. If you don't feel any soreness then next day, then you might want to bump up the weight. It's a good idea to do 3 sets of 8 reps with a 30 sec to 1 minute break in between. Since you are just starting out, just get used to it all and if you increase your weight over time, that is great.
It really all depends on what your overall goal is.

Would that just be tricep and bicep work with my left arm? My gym has free weights that I can use. (I have thsoe little home weights somewhere but they're only 1kg)

I was increasing the weights on the machines today (I did one with my legs and it went down very fast and SLAMMED into the end. Even as I was moving the weight up, one of the guys yelled out 'You need heavier weights love!') On some I ended up moving them up by as much as 20kg.

My goal is to be healthy and to achieve that I need to lose weight. (my current goal is another 43kg but I'm going to reevaluate the closer I get)

Yes, you need to do bicep and triceps....you can also do shoulder press with the dumbbells. I use 20lb dumbbells for bicep curls. (I don't expect for you to do that now, just wanted to give you an idea of where I'm at) I would also do some dumbbell chest press. You want to target all areas. I am on the free weights 90% of the time. Machines are good, but they only target one area. When you get into the free weights you get into the stabilizers.

Lozze · August 2011

Yes, you need to do bicep and triceps....you can also do shoulder press with the dumbbells. I use 20lb dumbbells for bicep curls. I would also do some dumbbell chest press. You want to target all areas. I am on the free weights 90% of the time. Machines are good, but they only target one area. When you get into the free weights you get into the stabilizers.

What do you mean by stabilisers?

I really don't know how to use the free weights and I don't want to hurt myself. It's $60 for a PT lesson which I really can't afford (the $48 a month for the gym is hard enough!)

welloiledmachine · August 2011

Yes, you need to do bicep and triceps....you can also do shoulder press with the dumbbells. I use 20lb dumbbells for bicep curls. I would also do some dumbbell chest press. You want to target all areas. I am on the free weights 90% of the time. Machines are good, but they only target one area. When you get into the free weights you get into the stabilizers.

What do you mean by stabilisers?

I really don't know how to use the free weights and I don't want to hurt myself. It's $60 for a PT lesson which I really can't afford (the $48 a month for the gym is hard enough!)

It takes a lot more effort to use free weights...that's where the stabilizer muscles come in. You get a better workout when doing free weights.
Pick up an Oxygen magazine. They show how to do exercises properly. I'm sure you can observe people in the gym and ask someone you feel who knows what they are doing. Most people don't mind helping.
Biggest thing is you don't want to be swinging or bouncing the weights. You want them to be slow and controlled. Sorry I can't help you, but there are tons of websites that shows proper form.

Lozze · August 2011

So that's like how you're supposed to hold your stomach in when you're doing weights, so it keeps your back in place?

Lozze · August 2011

So that's like how you're supposed to hold your stomach in when you're doing weights, so it keeps your back in place?

welloiledmachine · August 2011

So that's like how you're supposed to hold your stomach in when you're doing weights, so it keeps your back in place?

You definitely want to do that.....If you notice, you can't lift the same weight when doing machine vs. dumbbell. That's because you are using different muscles with dumbbells.

Your body has two types of muscle, movers and stabilizers. Movers are big muscles that move your body parts, hence the name. Stabilizers are muscles that hold your parts in place and prevent you from being damaged while the movers are moving you.

"Stabilizing muscle contractions are generally isometric contractions that act to support the trunk, limit movement in a joint, or control balance." In other words, muscles acting in a stabilizing role aren’t directly involved in lifting a weight, but instead keep certain parts of the body steady so that the primary working muscles can do their job properly.

Weights and 'lifting to the point of exhaustion'

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