The Surprising Science Behind Your Shaky Muscles
Imagine you’re running through a basic exercise routine. You feel good, so you push yourself harder than usual — and your muscles suddenly start shaking! Every athlete has experienced that moment of panic when tremors hit. But have you ever wondered why your muscles shake? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Shaking muscles can mean at least three things: You’re underprepared for your workout, pushing yourself too hard, or breaking new ground and building muscle! To figure out which option explains your scenario, ask yourself these questions: 1. Did I drink plenty of water today and get at least seven hours of sleep last night? If not, your muscles could be shaky because of dehydration or fatigue.
of doing their job. When one fiber becomes fatigued, your body adjusts to rely on another. Trying something new (essentially, asking your fibers to give new directions) can confuse your body and delay the tradeoff, making your muscles shake. 3. Am I pushing myself harder than I ever have before? When you amp up the intensity of your workout, your body will often do more muscle fiber “tradeoffs” than usual because you’re demanding more output. When too many tradeoffs happen at once, that can make your muscles shake. Muscle tremors aren’t always a bad sign. If you’re trying a new exercise or pushing for improvement, they’re part of the learning process! However, if you’re struggling with exhaustion or dehydration, or you think you’re overworking yourself, shaking can be a red flag. Consider reducing the intensity of your workout or taking a rest day. When in doubt, discuss the issue with a physical therapist, especially if you’re recovering from an injury.
2. Am I doing a new exercise? If you’ve never done a jump squat or bench pressed 200 pounds, you’ll probably feel shaky the first time you try a full set. That’s because your body is adjusting to the new motions at a cellular level. Simply put, when you start a workout, your muscle fibers tell your muscle cells whether to contract or relax — and those fibers can get tired
Arnice’s 4 Tips to Make 2024 Your Best Year Yet! HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
No. 3: Know Your ‘Why’ In order to be successful at setting a goal, you have to have a reason behind it, so dig deep to uncover the underlying motivation behind your objective. If you say you want to lose 10 lbs and don’t know why, who cares if you achieve it or not? But if you want to lose 10 lbs to avoid diabetes, get off of your blood pressure medication, keep up with your kids, or even look good at your high school reunion, then following through with your goal matters. No. 4: Make a Plan Finally, take your goal and its deadline and break it down into manageable steps. If you want to lose 10 lbs in 5 months, that’s 2 lbs a month. What will you do to get there? What can you do today, tomorrow, and next week to reach those 2 lbs this month? Breaking it into smaller tasks makes it less overwhelming! And most importantly, remember to be forgiving if you falter. Setbacks are part of the journey. The key is to stay committed!
As the new year begins, one of the most common things people love to do is set goals for themselves for the coming year. These goals help us improve ourselves and work toward a brighter future. However, research shows only 9% of Americans actually accomplish their New Year’s resolutions, and 43% quit before January is over! I mentioned last edition that I’m also a business coach and part of what I’ve learned is how to set and achieve goals successfully. So, to help you turn your aspirations into reality this year, here’s what you have to do. No. 1: Be Specific The whole point of setting a goal is to accomplish it, right? So you have to give yourself a measurable objective so you’ll know when you get there. Instead of saying, “I’m going to lose weight,” put an actual number on it. Say, “I’m going to lose 10 lbs.” No. 2: Make it Time-Bound After you create a specific goal,
give it a deadline to create a sense of accountability. Instead of giving yourself all year to lose weight, say, “I want to lose 10 lbs in 5 months.” This way, you have an end date and can work backward to plan how to get there.
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