what to do? is this normal!!

[dtraxor]

hey ssup

im 18 and just recently started working out.

my height is 5'6 and i weigh around 66 kilos.

for some reason no matter how hard i try i can seem to lift over 25-35 pounds, using any of the machines in the gymn. ive been lifting for 4 days now. i started of with 15-20 pounds.

once i lift 35 pound weights it almost as my arms cant take it any more. is this normal for someone of my weight/height and age.

all the otehr guys in the gym lift 2X45 3X45 pounds on each hand. i fell so ebaressed.

question 2 . are there any rouine workouts that i can do to increase the amount of weights i ma able to lift or should i keep on doing 25-35 lbs so much that i get used to them.

also my lef arm is extremely weaker than my right arm, today in the gym i only worked with my left arm. what i can i do to equal the power of both arms.?

thanx

 

[spatts]

Maybe if you converted your body weight to pounds, and your lifts to kilos, you'd feel better about it.

 

[The Red Dragon]

5'6
145 lbs

Well if you are indeed lifting kilos instead of pounds then you found your problem .

First off...what machines are you using machines won't help you gain strength. Unless of course you're confined to machines due to a lack of ressources or injury.

If you experience physical pain stop what you're doing. 25-35 pounds is a lot for beginners, I actually started with 10-20. Do what's comfortable (allows 5-8 reps with NO pain).

Use a 5x5 routine to boost your numbers (you need a barbell for this). Take a look at needsize's sticky, I pretty much doubled my bench press.

Remember take it easy, increasing strength naturally is an extremely slow and arduous process. We all start somewhere, so don't be embarassed about the weights.

 

[The Red Dragon]

http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=204402

Look at that thread for a strength training routine.

After you do heavy compound exercises your arms will equal out. Your left hand will always be weaker than your left (unless you give it special attention via dumbells but that's not necessary). Unless you are injured or don't have free weights, use barbells/dumbells. Remember to do heavy compounds, its the only way you'll grow and the only way to get stronger...well the fastest way.

 

[dtraxor]

thanx man.

btw i lift my weight in lbs.

also; are you suggesting that i dont use any machines for my chest/back/arms. instead i should use dumbells?

 

[The Red Dragon]

Free weights provide more intensity...intensity that you don't get from machines. Intensity fires off a greater growth response since your muscles have a more exterme stimulus to respond to. Not only do you get intensity from free weights but you also hit the stabilizers causing them to grow. Machines only isolate one muscle, causing that one muscle to grow and the surrounding muscles to remain the same. This throws off your proportion and you're also weaker for it. And machines are mostly open kinetic chains where as a lot of compound free weight exercises are closed kinetic chains. Open kinetic chains aren't too great for growth as closed chains.

I'm not advocating against the use of all machines. Some muscles are difficult to hit with free weights. Think of free weights as your core exercises and machines as auxiliary finishers and fine tuners. But if you want strength and size, free weights are the way to go (dumbell barbells). (I still use free weights as the finishers, I stay away from machines except for cables, leg press and leg curls)

Hit your legs too if possible, people who only work upper bodies look kinda weird, and your upper body & strength will increase much more doing squats.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

That's a good site for learning exercises, it has videos, instructions and gives you a list of which muscles are hit along with its synergists and stabilizers.

 

[The Red Dragon]

On that site, stick to the basic exercises especially the basic compounds.
Do heavy compounds to work your chest/back/legs/shoulders and everything else shall grow

Make sure you make bench press/deadlifts/squats the core of your workouts, shoulders you can do military press, I'm not a fan of overhead pressing. I don't have the rotators for them.

 

[dtraxor]

thanx you man..

i totally appreciate it

 

[Peckz]

Dont worry about what you can lift right now. Your strength Will increase pretty fast i promise you that. Dont do the classic newbie mistake and train five to six days a week it will wear you down pretty fast.

 

[dtraxor]

im working out 7 days a week. unless i play soccer. then it becomes 6 days a week.

why is that bad?