Do you sometimes lose desire to train and does it come back? page

[Leida]

I am about to go on vacations, and I was missing my training since Saturday (I lifted last heavy Wendler 5-3-1, and it was great).

The thing is, after Saturday, I was feeling so tired every day, that I had no desire at all to go to the gym (I planned light lifting Monday and today) and I just did not go. It was hot & we had in-laws for over week who kept me up past my normal bed-time, so I was getting 6 hrs a sleep or less a night, I had an injured rotator that was getting worse & we took them places, I had to work a lot before leaving, but it all sounds like excuses! I have been training hell or high water for over 3 years now, rarely missing a few days in a row, let alone 4. I always wanted to go to the gym! Always!

Tomorrow I am going away for 2 weeks, without access to a gym or grass field. I bought 'Your Own Gym" book, but did not have the desire to read through it and build up a workout. I will be staying in the hotel with my husband and daughter (no gym in the hotel) so I am wondering if I will get into the groove and start wanting to do at least push-ups and burpies and stuff?

I don't understand what's going on. I was wiped from lifts and being under-slept on Sunday and Mon, but I am okay physically now, can't even feel the injury in the rotator, but I don't want to do anything, not even walk or stretch. heck, I don't even want to work. I don't want to do any gardening even if I should before I go. Just eat and sleep. Preferably on the lawn.

Is this bad, or is it normal? Do I need to take myself by the scruff of my neck as soon as possible and start doing anything, to keep the schedule up, or do I relax for 2 weeks, and then my routine comes back naturally (or do I jump into something like German Volume after 2 weeks to hit the body hard?)

[Apex Predator]

I am about to go on vacations, and I was missing my training since Saturday (I lifted last heavy Wendler 5-3-1, and it was great).

The thing is, after Saturday, I was feeling so tired every day, that I had no desire at all to go to the gym (I planned light lifting Monday and today) and I just did not go. It was hot & we had in-laws for over week who kept me up past my normal bed-time, so I was getting 6 hrs a sleep or less a night, I had an injured rotator that was getting worse & we took them places, I had to work a lot before leaving, but it all sounds like excuses! I have been training hell or high water for over 3 years now, rarely missing a few days in a row, let alone 4. I always wanted to go to the gym! Always!

Tomorrow I am going away for 2 weeks, without access to a gym or grass field. I bought 'Your Own Gym" book, but did not have the desire to read through it and build up a workout. I will be staying in the hotel with my husband and daughter (no gym in the hotel) so I am wondering if I will get into the groove and start wanting to do at least push-ups and burpies and stuff?

I don't understand what's going on. I was wiped from lifts and being under-slept on Sunday and Mon, but I am okay physically now, can't even feel the injury in the rotator, but I don't want to do anything, not even walk or stretch. Just eat and sleep.

Is this bad, or is it normal? Do I need to take myself by the scruff of my neck as soon as possible and start doing anything, to keep the schedule up, or do I relax for 2 weeks, and then my routine comes back naturally (or do I jump into something like German Volume after 2 weeks to hit the body hard?)

You are describing textbook long-term over-training. 2 weeks of rest(maybe more) is exactly what you need.

[Coach Palfrey]

Completely normal.

When this has happened to me I drop each session back to a single exercise (5-10 sets). Clears the mind and gives the body a chance to recover.

[Leida]

So, can I be over-trained even if I don't feel the muscular fatigue, just mental fatigue?

I guess, in my case, the best course of action is start doing stuff if I get up one morning humming 'it's a 100 push-up day!' during the vacations, otherwise bring myself to the gym after vacs and start light low and short before kicking in another cycle of Wendler?

Also, while Wendler 3 weeks were magic, this should have been 4th week (de-load). I guess, I might have to be prepared to go for 3 weeks load up and simply take a week off instead of a de-load next time? Something like that?

[Apex Predator]

So, can I be over-trained even if I don't feel the muscular fatigue, just mental fatigue?

I guess, in my case, the best course of action is start doing stuff if I get up one morning humming 'it's a 100 push-up day!' during the vacations, otherwise bring myself to the gym after vacs and start light low and short before kicking in another cycle of Wendler?

Also, while Wendler 3 weeks were magic, this should have been 4th week (de-load). I guess, I might have to be prepared to go for 3 weeks load up and simply take a week off instead of a de-load next time? Something like that?

Mental fatigue is the one that matters. Assuming you are the type that normally wants to work out, and generally works out regularly, suddenly not wanting to work out is a sure sign of over-training. It has to do with your CNS, cortisol levels, etc. You can acutally track it by things like waking pulse and grip strength, but generally few people need to.

I'd take three weeks off/light. You may need to do 3 weeks on/2 off/light if you are not bulking/restricting calories on 5/3/1. 5/3/1 is meant for piling on mass if I remember, very easy to over-train if you aren't sleeping and eating as much as possible.

[Leida]

Thank you, now that you put it that way, it actually makes sense.

I was not expecting to gain bulk, but I was not restricting calories, basically did maintenance. However, I managed some sweet strength improvements (for me). Like I finally repeated 70 lbs OHP at BW of 122 lbs, and the last time I lifted 70 lbs OHP was when I was bulked up to 132 lbs. I also progressed 10 lbs on SQT and DL and almost got Bench to 95 lbs. That's after a year of Madcow load-deload and stalling. So I was flying crazy (for me, obviously).

But because the # of main lifts is low compared to my previous years of training & because support changed radically (to 5x10s sets with basically KBs all 4x a week), I guess it made the difference. I also sprinted 2x instead of 1x on week 3 (probably a mistake, despite it being recommended with the schedule).

I thought it helped me cope with stress from visitors, work and all that, but I guess the opposite was true.

I am going to stop fretting over missing gym then and who knows, it might actually improve my fitness level. hey, who knows, I might just earn my first 'big' plate on the bench after I am back. That would be swell!

[Apex Predator]

Thank you, now that you put it that way, it actually makes sense.

I was not expecting to gain bulk, but I was not restricting calories, basically did maintenance. However, I managed some sweet strength improvements (for me). Like I finally repeated 70 lbs OHP at BW of 122 lbs, and the last time I lifted 70 lbs OHP was when I was bulked up to 132 lbs. I also progressed 10 lbs on SQT and DL and almost got Bench to 95 lbs. That's after a year of Madcow load-deload and stalling. So I was flying crazy (for me, obviously).

But because the # of main lifts is low compared to my previous years of training & because support changed radically (to 5x10s sets with basically KBs all 4x a week), I guess it made the difference. I also sprinted 2x instead of 1x on week 3 (probably a mistake, despite it being recommended with the schedule).

I thought it helped me cope with stress from visitors, work and all that, but I guess the opposite was true.

I am going to stop fretting over missing gym then and who knows, it might actually improve my fitness level. hey, who knows, I might just earn my first 'big' plate on the bench after I am back. That would be swell!

Indeed. Good Luck!

[Scott F]

You are training too much. Just like chronic high blood pressure can become body's new norm if you aren't careful so too can chronic overtraining. I'm no stranger, myself, to overtraining. When I was 19 - 20 I bodybuilded 2 hours a day 6 days per week. I suffered the same lack of desire to train but pushed myself to workout anyway. At some point though you will have to back off the working out. Getting one's self into a state of overtraining and exhaustion can takes months to recover from.

Whenever I feel myself losing the desire to train I take that as a cue that I'm likely over reaching or over training and take a break.

A few months ago I bought BioForce Hrv BioForce HRV |. It's based upon the $35K OmegaWave http://www.omegawave.com/. Bioforce HRV was developed by Joel Jamison, who trains UFC fighters. Jamison scaled it for use with an Iphone or Ipad. This thing knows if I drank a couple glasses of wine the evening before. I'm still learning how to use it but so far I like the info it's giving me.

I figured out how to buy it for $50 but you won't get the instruction book to go with it. If I was doing personal training I would want my clients to have the system so I could monitor how hard I could work them out on that day, or if they need to take that day off. I expect to see other companies (like Polar or Nike) to develop their app software.

edit> I forgot the Omegawave website video http://www.omegawave.com/

[YogaBare]

Great to know that this happens to others!! What happens with me is that I push myself to the very edge... and then I self destruct. If you feel you need a break - do it, and don't feel guilty.

[Leida]

YogaBear, I did that once on CW, but the good thing that came out of it that I found Paleo/Primal with its beatiful approach to fitness that is challenging but playful. Uhm, I thought i was so savvy too Good thing there are good folks around here.

@ Scott: I really like this application, and I also was wondering about the FitBug or bodybug or whatever, mostly to track my sleep. What stops me is that I am not a gadget person by nature. I got HR monitor when I was running outside, but i only used it a handful of times. I do not have anything starting with i, only a basic cell phone from 7-11 chain with basic plan, and a BB from work that breaks every few months or so because I forgot to charge it. I am just not electronics person; I would not know what to do with it all.

The good news is that I am starting to feel re-energized as I am speaking to you. Well, eating a bunch of bacon at a branch function helped too, i bet. I normally hate bacon, but I had a craving. Seeing all I wanted was watermelon prior to that, I think things must be looking up.