machine at the gym.

I can do the first 10 reps, then after about 5 on the 2nd set my arms go all wobbly and give way! I'm finding it really difficult. I had to stop after 5 for a few seconds, then done 3, stop for a rest, then the last 2. On the 3rd set, I managed 4, had to stop, then done 3, had to stop, then another 3. Is it a waste of time doing it like this until I get stronger, or should I keep at it?

Today was only my 2nd day doing them. Will I get stronger and more able to do them, or is there something I can do to get better at it?

Also, Wed was my first day on this new program, and when I woke up yesterday morning my shoulders were killing me. Is this normal?

I often complain about my weinie little woman arms. When I went to the gym the first time, I had to shoulder press with the pin out. I felt like a wimp. But, it's a couple of months later and I regularly do them with 40 and 45 lbs.
Watch your form. I asked a pt to help me with that. Keep doing them.
You'll progress too. We just don't have shoulders like men do.

Yes, it's normal to be very sore after starting to work out. Don't worry, that goes away and in the future, you might be pleasantly sore after a workout but not like this first time (thank goodness!)

Did you take a rest day between days doing the same exercises? If not, you should -- a muscle group needs at least 48 hours rest between workouts.

How long did you rest between sets? Try for a full 60 seconds and see if that lets you complete the second and third sets a little easier. If you're still struggling on the second set, do as many as you can, stop and rest for 60 seconds, then do your third set. You'll be surprised at how quickly you progress and get stronger. Soon you'll be going up in weight and knocking out sets with no problem!!

Yup. Perfectly normal as the other chickies here have said.

As you progress, you can expect it to happen every once in a while. It still happens to me when I go up to the next level of weights on whatever exercise and suddenly can't complete my 3rd set ... sometimes can't even get 1/2 way through. Lifting to failure is a good thing! It means you're working your muscles hard.

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I've started on 5kg(as it's the smallest there and am mega struggling!

Will keep at it though! Thank you!

I started weight training on Wednesday, didn't do anything yesterday, then went again today. Is that enough rest time? I'm hoping to do Weight training 3 times a week.

I've been resting 60seconds between sets. Will keep at it though and see how I get on!

That's good then, I was thinking maybe I was wasting my time by not completing them, but I must be getting some benefit from it!

3 times a week is a good number. You def need to rest at least a day between working muscle groups, because it's not the tearing down of the muscle that's doing you good - it's the healing and rebuilding that builds strength!

You can, if you want, lift on consecutive days, you just need to not work the same muscle groups. For example, I try to get in 3-4 days a week of weights/resistance training, but one day I'll do legs and back, the next day I'll do arms/shoulders and chest. That way I'm working out, but not working the same muscle groups all the time.

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I never thought of that! Will give it a go! Thank you!

Oooohhh....I'm going to give some advice, but I still consider myself a novice, so if any of our more experienced weight-lifters want to chime in on this suggestion, that would be awesome.

Have you considered overhead dumbbell presses? Using free weights gives you more options for weights, plus you use other stabilization muscles. When I want to do more reps than I can handle on the shoulder press machine, I will use dumbbells instead and have found that to be a wonderful option. The shoulder press machine at my gym is heavy---even without weights added.

But if I am way off base here, listen to everyone else.

I was going to ask about the same thing Midwife. 5kg is heavy IMHO. It would have been absolutely defeating for me.

I spoke to my trainer yesterday about doing this, but she said to persevere with the shoulder press for another couple of sessions and see how I get on. I actually done well with it yesterday!! Managed my first 2 sets in full, struggling a bit on the last set, stopping after 8, then finishing the last 2 after a few seconds break! Was all proud of myself!

5kg feels like a tonne to me at the moment!!