Muscles shaky/twitchy after weight training

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ZyheeMoongazer
ZyheeMoongazer Posts: 343 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I tried searching the forums for something on this topic but didn't find anything. Forgive me if this is a repost.

After a heavy weight training session my muscles will feel shaky/twitchy. I don't feel light headed so I don't think its from not eating or being dehydrated. Its like the feeling you get when you are cold and start shaking. It stops after about an hour or so.

Anyone else have this issue? Should I cut back on the intensity of my weight training session?

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  • ZyheeMoongazer
    ZyheeMoongazer Posts: 343 Member
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  • gtwin
    gtwin Posts: 290 Member
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    What rep range are you working in? And how many sets are you doing for each exercise? Maybe you're doing too much volume....I typically do 5-6 exercises for one body part each lifting day and do 4 sets of each, doing 15, 12, 10, 8.
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
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    absolutely not. that shaky/twitchy feeling means you have exhausted your muscles and that's exactly what you want. it means you are lifting the right weights for the last reps to be difficult. those last few reps where you are really pushing to complete the move is where all the real work gets done.

    I love that shaky/twitchy feeling. Drink plenty of water (about a gallon a day) your muscles need water to repair themselves, which is why sometimes you might have a slight bump in weight the day after a workout, it's water retention.

    Every time you lift weights, and you lift heavy, you create microtears in the muscles. the muscles repair themselves stronger to prevent it from happening again, which is why if you want to keep seeing results, you have to increase your weights periodically and change your exercises and why you shouldn't work a muscle group two days in a row. Give them time to repair and recover.

    That shaky/twitchy feeling means you are doing it right!
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    Mine do that too... not just with weight training, but with any strenuous exercise. I don't actually know why... I presume they're just fatigued. As to whether you cut back or not? That's really your call. If it's uncomfortable and making you miserable, then you should probably back off. Otherwise... the point of strength training is to fatigue your muscles so much that they have to repair/rebuild/re-wire the neurons, and you grow in strength.

    My muscle fatigue/shakiness goes away after a cool down. Does yours?

    You might also try a post-work out shake and see if that helps. Something with protein and carbs. I don't know that it's essential and I don't know if it really would help you. But it's not going to hurt you.
  • farmgirlsuz
    farmgirlsuz Posts: 351 Member
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    I experience this too. I posted a message about a month ago but didn't really get any responses. Maybe you will be luckier this time!

    I eat my calories (and then some), stay hydrated, not diabetic and all blood work and BP checks out OK. Maybe it is just our bodies repairing themselves? I have grown to accept it and even smile thinking "Yeah, I worked you today...doesn't it feel GOOD?"
  • StrongGwen
    StrongGwen Posts: 378 Member
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    I work to get that shaky feeling to tell me I have stressed the muscles to the max. Some people routinely lift to the point of total fatigue, where they absolutely cannot do another rep. Your shakes last a long time though, so look at your pre-workout nutrition loading--are you having some fast-digesting proetein like whey or soy in a shake within 30 minutes of your workout? Save the simple sugars for after the workout with some more protein so you don't get a glucose crash.
  • Dani_Scott
    Dani_Scott Posts: 21
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    Hi

    This happens to me too, I think it's normal it's just when the muscles are getting tired from working good and hard. My bodypump instructor shakes during class too and I'm assuming she would know if it was a bad thing.

    xxx
  • kristynlyn
    kristynlyn Posts: 20 Member
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    This has happened to me too. When I used to take dance and we did certain stretches, my teacher said that muscles shaking were a way of them getting used to something that's new to them. They are becoming accustomed to an exercise or a specific weight amount.

    I don't think it's a bad thing. The stronger you get, the less they'll shake. But if it becomes something that is unbearable or painful, I'd probably cut back a little. Don't push yourself too hard, but it is definitely a normal thing.

    I hope this made sense. :smile:
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    "Should I cut back on the intensity of my weight training session?" -No. Instead consider more rest between workouts and a sports drink during. Typically those symptoms are caused my dehydration and/or nervous system exhaustion.

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