# Muscle fatigue?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-fatigue/834674>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 28, 2019, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-fatigue/834674 "2019-05-28T21:35:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-fatigue/834674/1 "2019-05-28T21:35:11Z")

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I have started working out recently. Today I used a Hip Adducter at 85 pounds. My legs are sore but not a problem. Today when I was walking I felt my foot drag a little but I lifted it, then I fell. Is this a common thing if you’ve worked out a bit more than usual?

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-fatigue/834674/2 "2019-05-28T21:40:41Z")

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Why did you fall? Was it a balance issue or, were you unable to support your weight?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-fatigue/834674/3 "2019-05-28T21:44:06Z")

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I may have dragged my foot, but I had lifted it before I fell.

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-fatigue/834674/4 "2019-05-28T22:02:07Z")

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Working your muscles to exhaustion could cause this, but I think you would know it.

Arnold says:

> [@](#):
>
> I remember the first real workout I had as vividly as if it were last night. I rode my bike to the gym, which was eight miles from the village where I lived. I used barbells, dumbbells and machines. The guys warned me that I’d get sore, but it didn’t seem to be having any effect. I thought I must be beyond that.
> 
> Then, after the workout, I started riding home and fell off my bike. I was so weak I couldn’t make my hands hold on. I had no feeling in my legs: they were noodles. I was numb, my whole body buzzing. I pushed the bike for a while, leaning on it. Half a mile farther, I tried to ride it again, fell off again, and then just pushed it the rest of the way home. This was my first experience with weight training, and I was crazy for it.

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**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muscle-fatigue/834674/5 "2019-05-28T22:26:07Z")

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It may not be that your muscles are literally so tired that they can’t support you, but proprioception deteriorates with muscle fatigue, for obvious reasons - feedback sensation changes. The closer you are to the limit of what your muscle can do, the less fine control and coordination you have.

I think there’s also a specific issue with hip adductor/abductor machines. I remember being told to avoid them by my trainer - it’s easy to find articles recommending that you avoid these exercises, because the movements are unnatural.