Feeling weak

I'm feeling pretty weak physically , I mean not strong as I'm feeling healthy.

Im starting out again with resistance training maybe after a year and a bit out of the game. Well im a month or so into doing it properly again.

Im not the strongest guy so I'm doing only around 7-8kgs with bicep curls with dumbbells. However while doing lateral raises I'm really struggling to complete the 3 sets of 8 reps with only 2kgs.

For a guy I feel really annoyed and feeling pretty low that I'm that weak

Any tips or suggestions?

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,937 Member
    How much are you eating?
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    edited October 2020
    gdfrew wrote: »
    For a guy I feel really annoyed and feeling pretty low that I'm that weak

    Any tips or suggestions?
    1. Stop comparing yourself to others. Your challenger is the previous you
    2. Drop the isolation exercises (e.g. bicep curls, lateral raises)
    3. Shift to a full-body linear-progression lifting program - stronglifts, starting strength, PHUL, whatever.
    4. Run out that program

    As the Russian Weightlifting Jesus said,
    Do not get ashame. You try for more you can do today, but tomorrow, you lift more. Everyone beginning somewhere, soon you will be strong.
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,489 Member
    edited October 2020
    Eat something pre-workout. I do a yogurt or breakfast drink with a good amount of protein in it.

    Do more compound moves, like presses and rows. Finish off with the isolation exercises like curls and raises if desired. They shouldn't be the main workout.

    Always focus on correct form, even if that means less weight than you think you should be doing.

    Don't run a large calorie deficit on resistance training days. A small deficit with sufficient protein may be OK, but not a large deficit.
  • steph6556
    steph6556 Posts: 575 Member
    gdfrew wrote: »
    I'm feeling pretty weak physically , I mean not strong as I'm feeling healthy.

    Im starting out again with resistance training maybe after a year and a bit out of the game. Well im a month or so into doing it properly again.

    Im not the strongest guy so I'm doing only around 7-8kgs with bicep curls with dumbbells. However while doing lateral raises I'm really struggling to complete the 3 sets of 8 reps with only 2kgs.

    For a guy I feel really annoyed and feeling pretty low that I'm that weak

    Any tips or suggestions?


    This just recently happened to me. I’d been happily going on with my calorie deficit ( that ended up being too low ) and then I hit a wall. I was waking up feeling weak and had very low energy. I did not put it together that I wasn’t eating enough because I didn’t have the hunger signals. My cardio felt labored and I didn’t even wanna do it. I casually mentioned I always feel like crap to my family and they all yelled “you’re not eating enough, that’s why!!” Duh, steph! I’ve since stopped trying to bank my exercise calories for the weekend and instead eat them back as I feel necessary, and wow, I feel great. My cardio has greatly improved as I feel strong, energetic! Just eat more!!

  • gdfrew
    gdfrew Posts: 45 Member
    edited October 2020
    Some good advice here. Out with the isolation exercises mostly and in with the compound ones. That's a change coming may way. I feel like I'm eating enough. (maybe not enough of the best stuff I admit) still mostly at a deficit. So on lifting days I'll try to increase thata little

    Now I'm not the biggest fan of barbells. So will I have success using dumbbells?

    On the plus side I've finally seen som fat loss and lost an inch off my waist. Well pleased it's the only thing that hasn't changed in the 6 months of weight loss
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,489 Member
    edited October 2020
    You can do a ton with dumbbells. If they are free weight versions I suggest getting an ez-bar too.

    Lots of exercise suggestions here. For legs, you can do Bulgarian split squats with db's.

    https://www.youtube.com/c/RyanHumiston/search?query=dumbbell
  • B_Plus_Effort
    B_Plus_Effort Posts: 311 Member
    first of all no one is looking at you if you are at the gym, not being rude, just don't play that game in your head where you have to impress others, I speak from experience, I have really long arms, I am 6' tall and that's great for swimming or a basketball player but when I do certain free weight exercises you would think I am weak based on the weight I am lifting yet it's all about physics and leverage, lift what works for you, also just because you can curl say 25 pounds doesn't mean you can also do 25 pounds military with each arm or vice versa, so be patient with yourself and don't fall for the round numbers like 5, 10, 20 kilos or what ever if 7.5 feels right, just do it, pride yourself on proper form, less weight more reps is still good

    my buddy who is in great shape worked out with these firemen once and he said my god those guys are beasts and they don't lift heavy at all, he said it was all in the technique, he said that when he used proper technique with them he could not lift what he was normally lifting and had a real aha moment