getting weaker??? baffled

[Alex]

hey
for about 2 weeks now ive been working out every day for 1-2 hours. ive been doing back n bis on mondays and thursdays, chest and tris on tuesdays and fridays, shoulders legs n abs on wednesdays and saturdays and just doing cardio on sundays. ive been eating a lot too, trying to get a lot of protein etc.

after the first 10 days i was feeling great, i felt stronger and leaner every day... but for the past couple days i just feel so weak. ive noticed a small improvement in my physique but i stuggle to do the reps that i easily cleared last week...? im pretty confused im not sure why this is happening if anything it should be the opposite... the only thing ive changed recently is that ive quit smoking for 3 days now but i dont see how that would affect anything...

any feedback appreciated... thx!

 

[Spooner]

i'm no expert, but don't you need more rest than that in between muscle groups?

i do each muscle group once a week.

 

[DurocShark]

Yeah, at least 2 days between group workouts if you do heavy reps.

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: Spooner
i'm no expert, but don't you need more rest than that in between muscle groups?

i do each muscle group once a week.

i thought 24 hrs was enough rest and as it is each group is getting 48...

i think it was skoorb or fausto who recommended this schedule...

 

[dpm]

Sounds like you are overtraining. Your body is telling you to slow down some and let it catch up. Remember when you are putting on muscle that your body is repairing and strengthening muscles you tore doing weights, and give it a bit more rest.

Take at least one day off.

 

[Zebo]

Normal. You have hardy ever worked out before right? Your muscles are torn to crap and need major time to recoup. Look for actual strength gains after 2 or more months when first starting.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: franguinho

Originally posted by: Spooner
i'm no expert, but don't you need more rest than that in between muscle groups?

i do each muscle group once a week.

i thought 24 hrs was enough rest and as it is each group is getting 48...

i think it was skoorb or fausto who recommended this schedule...

Wasn't me The old school thought that a muscle group took 48 hours to recover. In reality depending on how much you drain it it can take much longer. You can train fairly hard cardio every day, but you definitely can't go to failure with your chest every day (or every two). The former relies on much higher reps, but also even when you tucker yourself out on a bike ride chances are you weren't going to muscular failure.

I'd switch your program around and add in a lot more time. Try a minimum of 5 days (I'm currently doing 6-7) between each muscle group. And eat a lot, much of it being protein, and get a lot of sleep!

Also if what you say is true about feeling actually weeker I'd stop with the weights now for a full week to allow your body to properly recover. I know that psychologically you may feel yourself becoming weaker, but when I used to overtrain as a teenager (muscle group every 2-3 days) I once went on vacation and after 10 days of not touching weights I could swear my muscles were getting smaller. Well, my first workout back was the strongest I'd ever had. Of course I didn't learn from this and went right back to 2-3 day breaks between muscles. It took a couple more years to really start adding in some serious rest times. A lot of experienced lifters go for 7 days between musclegroups and rarely less than 5.

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: dpm
Sounds like you are overtraining. Your body is telling you to slow down some and let it catch up. Remember when you are putting on muscle that your body is repairing and strengthening muscles you tore doing weights, and give it a bit more rest.

Take at least one day off.

hmm maybe that could be it... ive been doing very heavy reps, just wrecking myself... so can anyone suggest how i might alter my schedule?

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: franguinho

Originally posted by: dpm
Sounds like you are overtraining. Your body is telling you to slow down some and let it catch up. Remember when you are putting on muscle that your body is repairing and strengthening muscles you tore doing weights, and give it a bit more rest.

Take at least one day off.

hmm maybe that could be it... ive been doing very heavy reps, just wrecking myself... so can anyone suggest how i might alter my schedule?

Also how many sets are you doing and what rep range? Here is what I'm doing now for instance:

Monday: Chest tris
Tues: Back bis
Wed: break
Thurs: Legs
Fri: Deadlfits & shoulders
sat: break
sun:break

I am thinking about moving this all from 4 workout days out of 6 instead of 4 out of 7, but this is my current routine. I do about 8 sets per muscle group (so chest may get 4 of flat bench and then 4 of incline dumbells).

 

[Amused]

*Work each muscle group no more than 1 day a week.

*Minimize your sets and reps and maximize intensity. You can get as much done in two sets, as you can in three or more if you maximize the intensity of the sets and always work to complete muscle failure in under 10 reps.

*Stick to basic, compound lifts. And if you must do direct arm work, no more than 2-4 sets per week (exception: forearms). Your arms get plenty of work building your back and chest.

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: Zebo
Normal. You have hardy ever worked out before right? Your muscles are torn to crap and need major time to recoup. Look for actual strength gains after 2 or more months when first starting.

actually ive worked out since i was 14 on and off, so although my tone is a lil off ive always had some strength...

 

[Amused]

I just posted this in another thread, so I might as well post it here:

OK, here's my 40-60 minute, 4 day a week weight training schedule:
(Warm up sets are not included. All sets are 8-10 reps until complete muscle failure, or until form starts to suffer unless otherwise noted)


Mon: Chest and tris

2 sets flat dumbell bench
2 sets inclune dumbell bench
2 sets flat barbell bench
2 sets incline barbell bench
2 sets machine flies
2 sets weighted dips
2 sets skull crushers
2 sets overhead triceps extentions

Tue: Back and bis

3 sets weighted wide grip pullups
2 sets close grip pull downs
2 sets dumbell low rows
2 sets cable rows
2 sets high rows
2 sets rear delt flies
2 sets dumbell curls
2 sets preacher curls
2 sets reverse ez bar curls

Thur: Shoulders

2 sets military press
2 sets dumbell arnold presses
2 sets vertical rows
2 sets lateral raises
2 sets cuban raises or other RC exercises

Fri: Legs and calves

3 sets squats
3 sets deadlifts
2 sets leg presses
2 sets ham curls
2 sets quad lifts
2 sets standing calf raises - 15 reps
2 sets seated calf raises - 15 reps

 

[dpm]

Originally posted by: franguinho

Originally posted by: dpm Sounds like you are overtraining. Your body is telling you to slow down some and let it catch up. Remember when you are putting on muscle that your body is repairing and strengthening muscles you tore doing weights, and give it a bit more rest. Take at least one day off.

hmm maybe that could be it... ive been doing very heavy reps, just wrecking myself... so can anyone suggest how i might alter my schedule?

Follow Skoorb's advice above. You can always build up your schedule if you feeling like its not stretching you - but if you havent trained before then going at it full tilt, while admirable, might not be the best way. Slow down a bit. See how that goes for a month or so. You've already had the initial rush that comes from going for it. Real growth will take time if its to be healthy. Patience, young jedi

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: franguinho

Originally posted by: dpm
Sounds like you are overtraining. Your body is telling you to slow down some and let it catch up. Remember when you are putting on muscle that your body is repairing and strengthening muscles you tore doing weights, and give it a bit more rest.

Take at least one day off.

hmm maybe that could be it... ive been doing very heavy reps, just wrecking myself... so can anyone suggest how i might alter my schedule?

Also how many sets are you doing and what rep range? Here is what I'm doing now for instance:

Monday: Chest tris
Tues: Back bis
Wed: break
Thurs: Legs
Fri: Deadlfits & shoulders
sat: break
sun:break

I am thinking about moving this all from 4 workout days out of 6 instead of 4 out of 7, but this is my current routine. I do about 8 sets per muscle group (so chest may get 4 of flat bench and then 4 of incline dumbells).

well i work out at home so there isnt much options as i use my roomated bench and freeweights but i usually do a set of 4x12reps and do each set twice alternating between all the sets i do that particular day...

well i dont really want to take more than 1 day break in a row so hows this:

mon - chest, tris
tues - break / cardio
wed - back, bis
thurs - break / cardio
fri - shoulders / deadlifts / legs
sat - light upper body
sun - break (no cardio)





EDIT: thanks for all the advice everyone btw!

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: franguinho

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: franguinho

Originally posted by: dpm
Sounds like you are overtraining. Your body is telling you to slow down some and let it catch up. Remember when you are putting on muscle that your body is repairing and strengthening muscles you tore doing weights, and give it a bit more rest.

Take at least one day off.

hmm maybe that could be it... ive been doing very heavy reps, just wrecking myself... so can anyone suggest how i might alter my schedule?

Also how many sets are you doing and what rep range? Here is what I'm doing now for instance:

Monday: Chest tris
Tues: Back bis
Wed: break
Thurs: Legs
Fri: Deadlfits & shoulders
sat: break
sun:break

I am thinking about moving this all from 4 workout days out of 6 instead of 4 out of 7, but this is my current routine. I do about 8 sets per muscle group (so chest may get 4 of flat bench and then 4 of incline dumbells).

well i work out at home so there isnt much options as i use my roomated bench and freeweights but i usually do a set of 4x12reps and do each set twice alternating between all the sets i do that particular day...

well i dont really want to take more than 1 day break in a row so hows this:

mon - chest, tris
tues - break / cardio
wed - back, bis
thurs - break / cardio
fri - shoulders / deadlifts / legs
sat - light upper body
sun - break (no cardio)





EDIT: thanks for all the advice everyone btw!

That would be fine, but just do cardio on sat. Light days simply interupt the growth, not help it.

 

[StageLeft]

That would be fine, but just do cardio on sat. Light days simply interupt the growth, not help it.

 

[CT2TXtech]

Originally posted by: franguinho
hey
for about 2 weeks now ive been working out every day for 1-2 hours. ive been doing back n bis on mondays and thursdays, chest and tris on tuesdays and fridays, shoulders legs n abs on wednesdays and saturdays and just doing cardio on sundays. ive been eating a lot too, trying to get a lot of protein etc.

after the first 10 days i was feeling great, i felt stronger and leaner every day... but for the past couple days i just feel so weak. ive noticed a small improvement in my physique but i stuggle to do the reps that i easily cleared last week...? im pretty confused im not sure why this is happening if anything it should be the opposite... the only thing ive changed recently is that ive quit smoking for 3 days now but i dont see how that would affect anything...

any feedback appreciated... thx!

check this--Id suggest going here. There are message boards with Lots of info. And i mean lots. Im on there and have learned a bunch of sh!t. Check it out.

 

[Alex]

k i guess no light sets on sat hehe

k neways gotta get to class
peace!

 

[Toasthead]

sounds like overtraining to me

Give yourself more rest, remember, muscle is built during rest, NOT during exercise.

 

[StormRider]

Her name is Geekbabe now and I heard she's getting stronger -- not weaker.

 

[lotust]

my .02 cents.


*eat right

*take vitamins and possably a suppliment

*get enough sleep

 

[Slammy1]

Hmmm... It really depends on your shape as to what your body can handle. It definitely sounds like your over stressing your system. Diet helps a lot, and I'd focus on cardio first strength training second. I used to do certain muscle groups every day, but I wouldn't heavily stress them every day. For example, 50 push ups everyday with bench presses 2-3 times per week. That's my metabolism, however, and it was only after getting in shape that I was able to do it. Try a cardio work out followed by strength training. It gets the blood flowing to the muscles, reducing the risk of injury. Stretching should be a regular activity, not only for flexibility but to get blood flow to the muscles you intend to work out. I also do high carbs for energy.

 

[StageLeft]

Diet helps a lot, and I'd focus on cardio first strength training second

That's a good idea if you want to be a skinny marathon runner

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Diet helps a lot, and I'd focus on cardio first strength training second

That's a good idea if you want to be a skinny marathon runner

lol yeah i try to do both simultaneously but this thread just went to show how much i know...

 

[SludgeFactory]

OK, you're overtraining. With the amount of clock time you're describing here, I'm guessing you're doing way too much volume for the week.

You can train muscles every 48 hrs, if they're not still sore from DOMS. The problem is neural fatigue. You're lifting heavy, 1-2 hrs a day, 6 days a week. You can't blitz your nervous system like that and expect it to recover. That's why your strength has gone away.

If you want to continue with that 6 day split, keep your workouts in the 25-40 minute range. I'm not kidding, get in, do some compound lifts, and get out. That may even be too much, just experiment. 6 days/week is just a lot, too much for my blood I know. You may need to alternate light and heavy workouts for the specific muscle groups. You can hit the muscles more than 1X per week (and I prefer it), but if you're the type to go in and do an all-out, balls-to-the-wall, limp-out-of-the-gym-in-pain, HIT-style training session 6 out of 7 days a week, it's not going to work unless you're juicing.

And sleep as much as you can!