CNS Fatigue?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

alright so i always train to failure and i always start my session with a compound. about 2-3 months ago i started incorporating rack-pulls again to my back days then i decided i wanted to just start doing conv. deads again.

although i think that with doing 5 compounds to failure a week it may be taking too much a toll on my CNS so for the past few weeks ive just noticed i dont have that extra charge i used to have. i didnt want to automatically label it to lifting so i thought of some outside factors, ive been pretty low on cash lately, frustrated with new job hiring complications, a couple other things too.

but even as better news came around (even though im still fuckin broke) i felt the same and im a pretty happy-go-lucky guy and shit doesnt tend to get me down. so now im more inclined to think this is due to my lifting. just to try and help i switched from doing a 4 day split to a 5 day just because doing deads and bench on the same was way too much for me. anyway a typical training week looks like this for me

Mon/back - deadlifts working to a 1RM or increased reps of previous 1RM then dropping weight and performing reps to failure, cable row, lat pulldown, maybe some HS high-row

Tues-ches - bench press to failure then dropsets, maybe some machine flyes inbetween to fatigue chest if triceps give out first, incline bench or HS, chest flyes.

wed-legs - squat to failure or 20 reps whichever comes first, sometimes i might add 2 more plates and just rep out for whatever i can, leg press, RDLs, Leg ext., hamstring curl - if i have time

thurs- shlds. overhead press til failure then i test out a 2RM, DB front raises til faiulre working down the line, rear delt flyes

fri/arms - close grip bench, incline hammer curls (recently switched to standing e-z curls), skullcrusher/close grip, standing db curl or other curl variation, tricep pushdown.

so this week i decided to just take it easier, for those of you familiar with DC this im treating it as like a “cruise week” (note: im not doing DC) ive just been keeping the weight a little lower and trying to keep the reps higher. i dont want to train this way next week too because i barely broke a sweat or even grunted yesterday and i just didnt feel right. i dont even feel like im in the right state of mind now, i look at myself in the mirror or just look at myself from my own 1st person view and think im smaller than before even though my weight is the same and im not eating much either but thats been messed up the whole summer. pleaaaaaase no one that just started lifting who quotes everything out of articles respond to this. id really just appreciate the more well-known and respected poster’s opinions. thanks.

2

Check out Thib’s 4 part article he covers your main question. It may not provide the “be all end all” but its worth the read

3

Well if you continually making progress on all those compound lifts then your likely not overtraining. But you should make sure to do a good deload every 3 weeks or so.

My recomendation might be to use some periodization to avoid these problems. Keep the exercise selection of your workouts exactly the same, but have each week or two focus on only a few compounds.

EX:

WEEK 1-2

Deadlifts (work em heavy in the 1-3 rep range)
Bench

All other lifts just try to maintain with sets of 5 or do higher reps to build some mass and increase GH.

WEEK 3-4

Squat
Row (Work heavy 1-3 rep range)

" " " " (everything else deload/maintain)

You’ll probably make better progress only trying to increase 1-2 lifts at a time, and will be less stressed. So instead of a 5lb increase per week, you might go up 10-15. Then if you can maintain at least half that gain during the deload, you’ll be better off in the long run.

4

My lifts have either been going up or staying the same. sometimes its hard to gauge if its just an outside factor on a paticular day though. like if i go to the beach, thats it im dead and i go into the gym with it already set in my mind that im most likely not improving from last weeks numbers because im just beat from the sun.

So for example when i started doing deads again i went in and hit 405x1 the next week i hit 405x2 week after i got cocky and tried to hit 455 but missed. then this week i only hit 405x2 again.

ill check out Thib’s articles and i guess until i can restructure my routine ill just take it easy for the rest of the week. i got legs tommorrow but i dont know how to take it easy on legs. and i want to still get a decent workout but i dotn want to over tax my CNS.

5

sounds more psychological than anything.

And the deadlift thing has nothing to do with CNS fatigue. Going from 405 to 455 is way to big of a jump

6

no i know it is and thats not the sole example of it either.

7

Sounds like your kinda like me. Your more likely to try too hard, than to not try hard enough.

I think this is one of the reasons I have not put on more mass that I should. Im trying figure out a way to make my proram that will prevent me from overworking too often.

I could limit the weight increments and have planned proressions, but that just doesn’t seem fun to me. I always prefer to lift the most weight possible correctly.

Instead, im gonna start with short loading periods of 1-2 weeks, and then have maintenance or deloads lasting 1-2 weeks.

And im gonna try to keep every workout to under 45 minutes.

8

Maybe. im pretty good at reading my body though. as i was reading those Thibs articles i said id read, i was noticing his tips about switching up so often but not too often and and what rest times to keep etc.

And i kinda thought well thats funny cause i seem to just do all that stuff spot on from gut instinct.

this is the first time ive ever really felt this fatigued before so its ok, im not really sweating it im just gonna have to have a deload/cruise phase every so often if im going to train that hard. any other program that makes you work your ass off like DC or Beyond Failure always has a cool-down time and i guess its for a real reason lol.

9

Ya, if you wanna make real solid gains youve GOT TO have deloads. Start with 3 weeks loading, 1 week deload, and adjust from there. I think for me 2 weeks loading and 3-4 days deloading might be better.

10

i dont think going easy every 4th week is going to get me anywhere.

11

[quote]dankid wrote:
Ya, if you wanna make real solid gains youve GOT TO have deloads. Start with 3 weeks loading, 1 week deload, and adjust from there. I think for me 2 weeks loading and 3-4 days deloading might be better.[/quote]

When you say deloading ,do you mean take days off?

12

Coach Poliquin has had success using the following things when it comes to overtraining:

Most limiting factor in gains= sleep!
You can improve longevity by waking at same hour every day.

When training several times a day or if you are feeling overwhelmed/overtrained increase vitamin C and glutamine by 80g.
Fix overtraining with blood protein.
BCAA while you train (40g for 200 pound male).
Alpha choline also aids in fixing overtraining.
Lycine helps prevent overtraining.

13

Usually “deloading” refers to a period of high(er) reps say the 15-20 range. its a way to take it easier on the body while still maintaining muscle.

14

Sleep is the least of my problems. i get on avg. 9hrs a night.

15

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
Usually “deloading” refers to a period of high(er) reps say the 15-20 range. its a way to take it easier on the body while still maintaining muscle.[/quote]

Thanks

16

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
Usually “deloading” refers to a period of high(er) reps say the 15-20 range. its a way to take it easier on the body while still maintaining muscle.[/quote]

You can also deload by only “working” your way up to 1 rep with about 80-85% of your max. It’s a way to deload without doing high rep stuff.

I know I’m late to respond to this, so I you may have already found your solution. If 5 sessions to failure each week a burning you out, maybe you could cycle your failure sessions, by only going to failure on 3 or 4 movements each week. And just rotate which ones you go to failure on.

Another option is, once you start feeling worn out, switch your main movements for each exercise. Start slightly lighter, but not a full deload, and work back up with new exercises until you start to feel burnt out again.

At your age, you could be fine really pushing yourself for longer periods of time with no real deload.

17

Why do you always train to failure? You want to gain muscle or strength (or both)? It is really hard on the body and the muscle takes longer to recover from the session… take Waterbury’s advice and take sets just short of failure, but train more often.

18

[quote]Player wrote:
Why do you always train to failure? You want to gain muscle or strength (or both)? It is really hard on the body and the muscle takes longer to recover from the session… take Waterbury’s advice and take sets just short of failure, but train more often.[/quote]

i dont want to sound like an asshole by saying this, so im gonna try to put it as nice as i can. Waterbury doesnt train a style that i train. so i really dont look at his stuff.

19

[quote]malonetd wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
Usually “deloading” refers to a period of high(er) reps say the 15-20 range. its a way to take it easier on the body while still maintaining muscle.

You can also deload by only “working” your way up to 1 rep with about 80-85% of your max. It’s a way to deload without doing high rep stuff.

I know I’m late to respond to this, so I you may have already found your solution. If 5 sessions to failure each week a burning you out, maybe you could cycle your failure sessions, by only going to failure on 3 or 4 movements each week. And just rotate which ones you go to failure on.

Another option is, once you start feeling worn out, switch your main movements for each exercise. Start slightly lighter, but not a full deload, and work back up with new exercises until you start to feel burnt out again.

At your age, you could be fine really pushing yourself for longer periods of time with no real deload.[/quote]

ive never tried working to an 85% max. i train primarily bodybuilding style although just for fun ill throw strength suff in too once in a while. i just figure strength training relies more on and takes a higher toll on the CNS which is kinda what i wanted to avoid.

for the record i think i found the solution with the higher reps.

20

[quote]Player wrote:
Why do you always train to failure? You want to gain muscle or strength (or both)? It is really hard on the body and the muscle takes longer to recover from the session… take Waterbury’s advice and take sets just short of failure, but train more often.[/quote]

You’re a troll, aren’t you…

To Live:
Do you have any Powerlifters in your area/gym that could help you assess your deadlift?

How did you miss the 455, did your lower back round, for example?

If you have a direct weakness (lower back+abs, hamstrings/butt,…), then you’re better off correcting that first.
This is a fairly technical lift after all, not a “just slap some more weight on each time” kind of lift (imo).

I’m assuming you eat plenty, of course.