Resistance training, or lifting weights, has many health and performance benefits. Regular sessions help control body weight and total body fat, which reduces your risk of disease, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. You can increase lean muscle mass and bone density as well as improve your strength to make activities of daily living easier to perform. However, sometimes you may feel shakiness after a weight lifting session. Fortunately,some causes can be prevented.
Nutrition
Weight lifting causes microscopic tears in the muscle tissue that need time to heal so that you become stronger and gain the benefit of your workout. Nutrition plays a vital role in this process. Your muscle is primarily made from protein, but you also need carbohydrates to build and repair the tissue. Inadequate amounts or less nutritious food choices before and after workouts may leave you sore and shaky. Also, water makes up almost 70 percent of your muscle tissue, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Dehydration can lead to muscular fatigue.
Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is a normal by-product of high-intensity, short duration training such as weight lifting. In the presences of oxygen, or moderate-intensity exercise, it is removed from the body and you may not notice any effect. However, sometimes your body does not remove it efficiently due to the intensity of your exercise and there is a build up of lactic acid in your blood. When this occurs you may feel muscular fatigue that manifests as shakiness after a strenuous workout.
Over-training
Over-training means exactly what it sounds like. You are doing too much exercise and your body cannot adapt and is fatigued. When this happens your workouts suffer as well as your recovery process. Time off with proper eating can allow your body to heal and end the shakiness in your muscles after or even during a workout. Depending on how much training you were doing, recovery can take more than a just a few days. Listen to your body to see what it can handle.
Fatigue and Illness
When you are not properly rested, your muscles cannot perform as well at strenuous levels. The extra demand you put on your body with weight lifting may leave you feeling shaky or dizzy. Also, recovering from illness or at the onset of illness, your body is not functioning optimally and this includes your muscle tissue. Do not push yourself too hard in your first few workouts after an illness. Gradually increase intensity as you regain your strength and feel better.
References
- "Essentials of Strength and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2008
- "Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook"; Nancy Clark, MS, RD; 2008
- Sports Fitness Advisor: Lactic Acid, Blood Lactate and the Lactic Acid Myth
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2009
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