Shaking while doing S&H

[RBurke]

Hi Cathe and all,
I did S&H back and chest yesterday for the first time. I tried not to overdo it because I am just getting back into weights. I chose 10 lb for bench press, 8 lb for fly, and 10 lb for incline press. It is strange because I immediately starting shaking even though I was able to do all the exercises with proper form I think. I need a mirror in my exercise room though. I was wondering if the shaking is okay. I am fairly sore today but not anything terrible. I felt good after the workout. I just wanted to inquire about the shaking since I started on the very first set. My back didn't shake as early but it did shake. Also, plank work is very hard for my wrists. Any suggestions? Should I stick with crunches instead?
Thanks for your time and another set of great videos!

 

[kathryn]

I have the same problem with wrists being bothered by some exercises, like planks. You might want to replace the S&H plank moves with the plank variations Cathe uses in Power Hour. Support yourself on your forearms and toes, so your wrists aren't involved in supporting your body. For the reverse planks, there may be a problem with clearance (ahem), so you could try a similar forearm supported move with your forearms on a 6" or so step or bench.

 

[RBurke]

I wouldn't have the clearance problem. There is one particular move that Cathe is face up and her hands are pointed toward her body. I can't do this one at all. I had wrist surgery a few years ago. Would this move work on elbows as well?

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi RBurke! Unless your shaking is due to not having enough food in your system to fuel your workout, it is most likely due to a combination of working very hard and getting acclimated to a new way of lifting. For me the shaking never stops. I usually skake my way through almost all of the sets of lying tricep extention exercises. And ironically, my legs, which are usually my strong point, shake whether the weights are heavy or light. They just seem prone to shaking when I lift weights. So as long as your overall food supply is sufficient, and your form is good, I wouldn't worry about the shaking too much.

As for planks, I would use the forearm version in place of the other wrist aggrivating plank versions so that you still receive the benefits of core conditioning in this manner. Keep up with doing a couple of crunch workouts a week too. Good Luck!

 

[Andrea]

Pushup handlebars

I use these for pushups, dips, and planks. I also turn them in a little more so the palms are kind of facing each other. It starts to bug my palms after a while, but it feels much better than the pain in my wrist! I also wear a wrist brace while doing these. Just thought I'd give you my experience.

Andrea

 

[RBurke]

Thanks for the reply. Thinking back on it, I didn't have enough food either. I hadn't eaten in 5.5 hours before the workout because I didn't "feel" hungry but I should have gone for a snack. Today I plan on doing biceps and triceps. I am eating some cottage cheese and fruit before it so I will see if the shaking is just normal for me; I've got a feeling it is. Anyway... Thanks again.