I have been training for years,sometimes slacking, overall making progress. I use different workouts and methods, lots of yours included but I always run up against the same wall. Right when I’m progressing along and getting to where I have to up the effort, I can’t seem to get it together.
If it’s pullups I’m doing, my rep count goes down. If it’s squats, the weight from the previous week is too heavy. I’ve taken plenty of rest weeks, watched for overtraining, etc. but it seems that no matter how fast or slow I approach the training, moving a bigger weight (for me) seems to be something my body is not willing to cooperate on. It’s like it’s got a built-in effort-limiter, like those dumb rev-limiters they put in rental cars.
Like the subject says, I think it’s either laziness, or that my CNS possibly needs a kick in the ass. Maybe it’s mental, which I equate with laziness. But I’d like to eliminate the CNS part of the question. So all of the above boils down to this: is there anyway I can test/examine my CNS and after that, what can I do to fix it?
It might be CNS overloading. This is very frequent when things are going extremely well. Success increase your hunger for more success. So as your training program you will often try to push harder and do more just to continue on with that good feeling. Forgetting in the mean time that your body neads an unloading week every 4th week (some will need one every 3rd week!). Two rules to follow:
When you get a significant personal best (PB) give your body a break: either reduce the volume for the current workout, stop the workout altogether or take a day off aftwerwards. If your body give you something it has never given you before, you must reward it and give it a break. There’s a fine line between optimal progress and stagnation.
Every fourth week you should include an unloading week in which the volume is cut down almost in half and the rest between sets is increased significantly (however the loads used are maintained or even increased). Without this unloading week you are doomed to hitting a plateau in a short period of time. It’s better to give your body a break before it forces you to do so.
The physiological peak of the average power/stength/speed athlete is around 30-32 years of age. After than peak 35+ years of age volume reducting following a significant PB is important. By significant PB I mean a PB that is a more than your average improvement. For example, if your bench press increases 5-10lbs every two weeks, and all of a suddent you lift 20lbs more that is considered significant. Another significant PB is when, after a long period of stargnation you suddently improve… for example; you’ve been stuck between 6.6 and 6.64 on your 60m for 6-8 weeks when one day BAM a 6.55! That’s significant.
There are no rules as that what constitute a significant PB, this is where coaching becomes an art!
Thanks for the answer. I wasn’t resting/backing off anywhere near the amount you specify. At 32 (in a month) years of age, I also fall under the other answer you posted in this thread.