I hope I didn't injure myself lifting weights for the first time.

[Jim Kata]

So I finally went to a Gym for the first time in my life last night (to work out). Well after doing a few sets of barbell curls, I decided to chill out for a bit. Then I noticed that my arms would not hang loose by my side. In other words, imagine laying flat on your back. Arms to your side. well, below my elbow, my arms lift to a 45 degree angle. Kind of like \__ . And I'm not trying to do that. It just is doing it on its own. I can straighten it if I try. Its sort of like something in tightened up in my arm making my forearm lift.

I am a little sore, but not too bad...should I be worried about this? Or is it because its the first time I've ever lifted weights and my muscles are trying to adjust?

Sorry if this makes no sense. And thank you for any advice.

[Ripsaw]

*chuckle* How much were you curling? And how many were "a few" sets?

You are experiencing residual tension in the biceps, which pull the forearm up in the manner you are describing. It will dissipate on its own.

You can get similar results using your arms and a doorway. Stand in the doorway with arms straight and touch the back of your wrists to the doorframe. Press outwards with your arms for at least one minute, and up to three minutes. Step away from the doorway, and your arms will float upwards with no input from you. Even at a resting state you won't be able to put them down for a while.

[Rudel73]

did you stretch beforehand? Since its your first time i wouldnt really worry about it you might've overdid not knowinng when to stop and you might not have stretched right. I wouldnt really worry about it if you are only a little bit sore, just try to stretch them out! BTW, the first time you ever lift you shouldnt be able to move the next morning cuz your so sore!!

[Gustoferson]

As long as you can stretch them back out straight, you should be fine.

I managed to hurt myself when I went back to the gym for the first time in a long, long time doing curls. Guess I overdid it and was straining too much with too much weight and not heeding signs to back off. At the end of the day, my arms naturally rested at a 90 degree angle and it was physically impossible for me to straighten them back out. Also, they hurt like a mofo for a week as it felt like I was doing one continual curl, even at the "resting" position of them being bent. Severely straining your bicept = not fun. Driving was a pain in the ass too for that week.

I learned my lesson, if I've been away from working out for a while, I need to ease myself back into it as my muscles aren't the same as they were when I stopped.

On the bright side, I could do the robot very well during that week.

[Jim Kata]

Originally Posted by Ripsaw

*chuckle* How much were you curling? And how many were "a few" sets?

I started with the bar (45lbs) and did 10 reps.
Added 5lbs and did 8 more.
Added another 5lbs and did 8 more.

The person I went with is in incredible shape and was telling me what to do. He said he has his own system that got him to where he is today and that is what he was going to show me until I find something that I feel works (or might work) better for me since I have no idea in what I'm doing).

Originally Posted by Ripsaw

You are experiencing residual tension in the biceps, which pull the forearm up in the manner you are describing. It will dissipate on its own.

I figured it wasn't too out of the ordinary but had to ask anyways (just to make sure).

Originally Posted by Ripsaw

You can get similar results using your arms and a doorway. Stand in the doorway with arms straight and touch the back of your wrists to the doorframe. Press outwards with your arms for at least one minute, and up to three minutes. Step away from the doorway, and your arms will float upwards with no input from you. Even at a resting state you won't be able to put them down for a while

That is exactly how it feels I feel like an old star wars figure with my arms the way they are when standing up straight

[Jim Kata]

Originally Posted by Rudel73

did you stretch beforehand? Since its your first time i wouldnt really worry about it you might've overdid not knowinng when to stop and you might not have stretched right. I wouldnt really worry about it if you are only a little bit sore, just try to stretch them out! BTW, the first time you ever lift you shouldnt be able to move the next morning cuz your so sore!!

Yeah I stretched, but probably not well enough.
I was surprised I wasn't as sore as I thought I would be, but I do hit the punching bag at home pretty often. That may have helped (probably not).
But I didn't go full force last night...it was sort of a spur of the moment thing for me (I had on jeans that are bit tight to show you how spur of the moment it was). And I just wanted to sort of test the waters. I don't really want to even call it my first "official work out" since I didn't do much there.

Its funny how I never noticed how weak/out of shape I truly was.

[Jim Kata]

Originally Posted by Gustoferson

As long as you can stretch them back out straight, you should be fine.

I managed to hurt myself when I went back to the gym for the first time in a long, long time doing curls. Guess I overdid it and was straining too much with too much weight and not heeding signs to back off. At the end of the day, my arms naturally rested at a 90 degree angle and it was physically impossible for me to straighten them back out. Also, they hurt like a mofo for a week as it felt like I was doing one continual curl, even at the "resting" position of them being bent. Severely straining your bicept = not fun. Driving was a pain in the ass too for that week.

I learned my lesson, if I've been away from working out for a while, I need to ease myself back into it as my muscles aren't the same as they were when I stopped.

On the bright side, I could do the robot very well during that week.

HAHAHAH I was actually doing the robot in the elevator in front of the mirror today at work.....because it was the first thing I thought of when I saw my whole body in front of the mirror.

But luckily im probably at 45 degree instead of 90. I don't know how you functioned, especially with the driving.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm gonna start taking progress pictures and measurements to see how things work out. I'm really excited about this. I have a feeling that I will be searching and asking question in this forum a lot more now.

[dman2]

Take it easy. What did your friend you went with say? Apparently he knows what he is doing if he is "training" you. Ditto what everyone else said about them going back to normal. Just don't overdo early or you will not want to go back.

[Jim Kata]

Originally Posted by dman2

Take it easy. What did your friend you went with say? Apparently he knows what he is doing if he is "training" you. Ditto what everyone else said about them going back to normal. Just don't overdo early or you will not want to go back.

He said not to worry about it. He said it was because my muscles weren't used to it.
I just started to semi worry when I slept with my arms in the air and woke up with them in the air.

[dman2]

Originally Posted by Jim Kata

He said not to worry about it. He said it was because my muscles weren't used to it.
I just started to semi worry when I slept with my arms in the air and woke up with them in the air.

Ha Ha. Sorry, that's just a pretty funny image.

[frogza]

To avoiding being like this in the long term, don't neglect your triceps. Most people think of bulging Biceps when they think of arm strength or size but the tricep makes up most of your arm size.

[animal909]

yup, triceps make approximately 2/3 of the muscle mass. you want big arms, work the tri's. Want pretty arms, work the bi's.

[Stompy]

It's natural to be pretty sore your first time working out.

The first time I did hamstrings, I couldn't walk for two days - it was that bad, and I didn't even over-do it!

I think I did 3 sets of 20 reps of something, but I could've done much more. That was the only hamstring workout I did (well, I did squats too), but I made it a point to not over-do it and I still got screwed up.

Once the initial pain/soreness goes away, you're all set though, as long as you keep up with it every week.

I was sick for the past month, so I couldn't go the gym - went back on monday to do chest/tricep and went yesterday to do back and biceps. Woo I'm feelin it this week.