Ow - My arm really hurts after lifting dumbbells


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Yesterday I decided to lift some dumbbells as I was bored and thought I will start getting in shape..

I havent lifted anything in a long time, but I started with 2x10lb weights, and was able to 25 before my arm got exhausted. I did 25 for my left arm, 25 for my right, and then I stopped. I did a few pushups too - 10 only (dont laugh im trying :laugh: ) before I could do no more.

Today I have this unbearable pain in both my arms, above my elbow and below my shoulder on the backside of my arm. It feels as if the muscle is shorter or something and it hurts so much to flex my arm, it is excruciatingly painful to change my t-shirt or something.

What did I do to myself? The pain was barely noticable yesterday.. How can I fix myself? :no:

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I'd just give it time to heal. If you think it's necessary it might be worth putting resting one of those warm packs you can buy on the arm, or having a warm bath.

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you need to stretch before and after you training. The pain is normal and indicates the muscles have had a good workout. If you haven't trained in a while start of very slowly for the muscles to get used to the strain again, this will elevate some pain and also prevent any damage.

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u shouldnt have pushed urself to the limit at the first day , thats the main reason for the pain u having...

try to do some stretches and swim alittle if u can , and it will take some time and go..

and really take it easy on urself when u return from long time no activity..

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Have you ever heard of heroin addicts who stop for a while and then go back to their usual dose. Their tolerance has gone down and they accidentally overdose themselves.

I think this is what you did to your muscles!

Some discomfort is normal but what you have is your body saying "don't ever do that again". Take is easy. Use smaller weights etc.

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Did you warm up and warm down?

Did you start on a small amount then work-your-way upto larger weights?

I think not, so thats the problem.

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You could have pulled your tricep by the sounds of it.

Try doing more sets of fewer reps next time, say 3 sets of 5.

Stretch your arms abit first, and if it really hurts at any time, like serious pain, stop immediately.

And leave it for two days.

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No biggy, just lactic acid buildup after a workout and DOMS

Muscles will get used to it and you wont have this ache/tightness after a few workouts.

And dont worry bout the 10 pounds, you have to start to what you can handle and then increase on that, only if you want to.

My workouts generally consist of 55 pound dumbells each or about 25kgs each in which, just recently i damaged my rhomboids, again, due to overstretching and the workout. 1 week rest i get though.

When I actually started working out i started off using 7.5kgs (15 pounds) per dumbell and increased from there. Takes time but you get there.

Anyway, have a read below.

Any results-oriented workout program is based on the overload principle. This means that to increase strength, flexibility, or aerobic power you have to push your body to work harder than it typically works. Your body responds and prepares for the next workout by making your muscle fibers stronger, bigger and more resilient. When you think about it, your body is really an amazing work of science. It likes -- welcomes, even -- the exercise challenges you throw at it and is always thinking up ways to meet those challenges.

Muscle soreness during and immediately after exercise is caused by buildup of a chemical called lactic acid, a natural byproduct of your body's energy-producing mechanisms. When you push yourself to your limit, lactic acid floods your muscles, causing pain, soreness, and discomfort -- your body's way of telling you to stop now. This type of soreness subsides after a minute or two of rest, and you can usually continue exercising without any residual effects. (the burn effect)

The other kind of soreness is called delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS for short. Microscopic tearing of muscle fibers appears to be the culprit that causes DOMS, although scientists aren't exactly sure why your muscles have this delayed reaction. The amount of tearing depends on how hard and how long you've exercised and what type of exercise you did. The soreness is generally at its worst within the first two days after an extra effort workout and subsides within a few days.

When you experience DOMS, stretching and ice may be your fastest forms of relief. Slow, steady stretching of your sore spots helps increase blood flow to the area, speeds the healing process and reduces the localized stiffness that make moving a painful proposition. Ice numbs the pain and signals your circulatory system to whisk away any waste products that flood into those microtears (thought to be another contributor to DOMS). You might also think about getting a massage. Massage reduces soreness and allows you to work out closer to an optimal level the next day. And besides, as we told you last week, a massage feels so good that it can help you forget about any ache and pain you have.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, repeating the activity that made you sore in the first place may be the best way to limit future DOMS. Getting back on the horse -- or your walking shoes -- the very next day, improves circulation to the overworked muscles and helps keep them mobile and pliable. Just make sure to that you reduce your workout intensity by at least 50 percent, or this strategy can backfire to the point of causing injuries.

Edited by Jasur
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I lift a lot and go to the gym and for starting out that is perfectly normal....Your muscles are just tightning up from being worked, you might want to do some strethes to help the pain becuase it will hurt just as much the next day :D

but i did one rep!

25 lifts each only

You should be doing around 12 reps per set and three sets for each arm workout

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