If you're never done weights in your life and then all of a sudden take it up much later in life, then yeah, that's not an unexpected result, especially with free weights.
A barbell and a set of dumbells great for building strength and muscles but it takes time to learn how to work them properly, and time to develop the stabilizing muscles to be able to support them. For someone just beginning to weight train it's better for him to start with body weight exercises such as push ups and pull ups.