The Switch

[thumpcbd]

Ok, I have been lurking for a while and learning a good bit, but I have a question for you guys now.

I decided the other day to start using free weights over machiens for many of the exercises that I do, however, I find that now I can hardly do any weight compaired to what I used to do. Its not that they free weights are too heavy, but rather when I do a lift I shake trying to do the lift. Is this normal when making this shift? I don't really feel sore after lifting anymore (it been a week and I miss it).

What should I do? I guess my staiblizers are just too weak when compaired to the main muscle being exercised. Stick it out and endure short term losses while I build up the staiblizers? Or shold I alternate free weights / machiens while in this Phase?

much thanks,
thumpcbd

 

[Cuthbert]

This is perfectly normal. By using free weights, your body has to work a lot more to stabilize the weight, keep it moving in the right plane, etc., so the shaking is completely normal.

Give it some time; your body will adjust and you will see a LOT more results-wise from the switch. Also stick around here, ask, listen, learn, and read.

Good luck.

Cuthbert

 

[CollegeKid2]

I guess my staiblizers are just too weak when compaired to the main muscle being exercised. Stick it out and endure short term losses while I build up the staiblizers?

You answered your own question perfectly. You'll be seeing way more results once your stabilizers get accustomed to freeweights and you start lifting heavy. You're on the right track,keep it up.

 

[Dave949]

Shaking and the muscles actually trembling and even quivering is very normal when either starting out with free weights or switching from machines to free weights.

Picture this: your doing machine bench presses, you have a bar thats attached to the machine and it goes up n down in a fixed postion. THE MACHINE IS IN CONTROL. Now picture dumbell bench presses. You have TWO separate weights that YOU have to control and keep from wandering forward, backward, sideways out, sideways in, criss crossing, etc. etc. so now all these muscles (stablizers) are now being called on to do something they have not been accustomed to doing which is why they (you) start to shake. They are learning a new task and so are you and its all good.

 

[thumpcbd]

Right on, thanks guys! I figured that is was just a learning process. However, I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't making a mistake in my assumptions. Over the last week I have been missing the burn, but I think that is the way to go for long term gains. The burn will come back when the staiblizer have caught up with the primary muscles being worked.

thumpcbd
( missing the burn )

 

[onerepmaximum]

Don't worry about the poundage. You're not in there to impress anyone. Just make sure you concentrate on your target muscle while you are doing your movement. Form is everything, you don't have to worry about that too much with a machine. Welcome to the men's section of the gym (no offense spatts & bigguns you both would own me)