[quote]Lift and Eat wrote:
Great news about the cancer but really disappointing re the lifting. Having had many setbacks in my own training I can totally relate to that feeling of having to rethink all your plans, esp when you’ve been looking fwd to hitting some heavier weights and having those lifting goals to focus on.
As you say though at least you are alive so I guess you have to focus on the big picture and the long term recovery. Waiting to be able to lift heavy in a couple of years will be hella frustrating, but better than ripping your gut open and doing more long term damage. At least you will be able to train free of nausea & fatigue, together with improved appetite & that in itself should help you improve in whatever goals you set.[/quote]
Yeah man, I almost felt a bit silly grumbling about the abdominal issue when I had good cancer-related news. The two are so massively separated in seriousness, but lifting is integral to my sanity haha.
You’re absolutely right, though. Soon I will be lifting as a healthy person rather than a fatigued, nauseous wreck. So even if the rep range is not where I’d like it to be, I will be getting the full benefit of my efforts. As opposed to now, where I effectively lift to ward off extra side effects and any muscular development is just a bonus.
Anyway I think I have a vague plan, will get into it tonight :).
So I don’t really know what to do training-wise. I can only do high rep, lighter weight stuff - on my surgeon’s “strong” advice. I hate high rep work and love pure strength training.
Pretty much want to just say fuck it and not lift for the rest of chemo. But I’ll try to keep at it.
Grumbling over.
Man, this fatigue is getting the better of me. The other day I spent 20 hours lying in bed, on the floor or on the couch. Nasty stuff! I had the weekend off lifting to try and build some energy but I’m not sure if it’s working.
The frustration of being told my abs haven’t joined and the confusion as to what kind of lifting I can or should do is not helping at all. Feel pretty lost tbh.
Today I messaged my boss and told him I won’t be working again until chemo is over, as my brain is far from able to process anything work related.
I took the dog for a walk and had a nap afterwards, will have lunch soon and hopefully feel energetic enough to try doing some weights. Yawning as I type this haha.
Bright side, only 8 days of this shit remaining. So if the worst comes to the worst, I have 1.5 deload / rest weeks!
Hang in there, you’re nearly finished. Yeh I know that feeling when circumstances change & mess with your motivation, its really frustrating when the goal posts move when you were so near the end.
The only thing I can say is you’re in a better position now physique wise than you were after your surgery, so you know the benefits of doing even relatively moderate lifting (moderate compared to where you were pre cancer). I’m sure you’ll figure out something programme wise that’ll work for you & set some new goals.
I’ve lost count of the number of times in my lifting I’ve had to readjust my plans due to injury or life shit messing things up, but I always find a way to keep going as the alternative doesn’t bare thinking about! I often find when I’m feeling like that then I’ll see something that makes me realise how great it is that I can lift at all. Maybe take some time to read some articles for ideas & figure out what you can safely do. When you’re off the chemo & the fatigue subsides I’m sure that’ll help with the training desire too.
[quote]Lift and Eat wrote:
Hang in there, you’re nearly finished. Yeh I know that feeling when circumstances change & mess with your motivation, its really frustrating when the goal posts move when you were so near the end.
The only thing I can say is you’re in a better position now physique wise than you were after your surgery, so you know the benefits of doing even relatively moderate lifting (moderate compared to where you were pre cancer). I’m sure you’ll figure out something programme wise that’ll work for you & set some new goals.
I’ve lost count of the number of times in my lifting I’ve had to readjust my plans due to injury or life shit messing things up, but I always find a way to keep going as the alternative doesn’t bare thinking about! I often find when I’m feeling like that then I’ll see something that makes me realise how great it is that I can lift at all. Maybe take some time to read some articles for ideas & figure out what you can safely do. When you’re off the chemo & the fatigue subsides I’m sure that’ll help with the training desire too.[/quote]
Cheers man. I guess this is the first time I’ve ever had anything seriously come between me and my training. And due to the health issues / stress, my training is more important to me than ever.
You’re totally right though, nearly finished chemo and I’m sure once it’s over everything will feel less doom and gloom. I should try not to let the fatigue cloud my mind with negativity.
I actually read a bunch of articles on Tnation today and found a training method which gave me some interest and motivation. It’ll be weird leaving 531 / strength training behind, but at least I will have focus. I can always come back to it in the future once I am back in one piece haha.
I had some good news today, my surgeon said he could do the operation in 18 months time instead of 24 months. And he will reassess me in December to hopefully adjust that even closer… hopefully.
Also I decided to be proactive and went and joined a gym today. I have been training at home for 3 years so it’s gonna be pretty weird, but since squats and deads are out for now, I need access to leg machines. So that is something positive anyway.
That’s great news about the surgery, hopefully like you say it will come forward even more. I think joining a gym is also a great idea. As well as the choice of equipment, it will prob be really good for you to be around that environment with others training around you. I always find if I’m having a slow (or low!) day that being around others training really helps my workout. Training at home is great but I think there’s a lot to be said for the camaraderie of training in a group setting as well.
[quote]Lift and Eat wrote:
That’s great news about the surgery, hopefully like you say it will come forward even more. I think joining a gym is also a great idea. As well as the choice of equipment, it will prob be really good for you to be around that environment with others training around you. I always find if I’m having a slow (or low!) day that being around others training really helps my workout. Training at home is great but I think there’s a lot to be said for the camaraderie of training in a group setting as well.[/quote]
Yeah definitely! Hopefully I will not get as grumpy as I used to at the gym haha. I’ve chosen a fairly quiet one so it should be cool.
Well I was going to call it another fatigue day but a friend came to visit and talked me into hitting the weights and I was glad for it. First session in a week, was pretty weak and lame but I got all the sets done and felt much better afterward :).
Looking forward to getting stuck into this routine, though it’s not what I am used to at all.
According to the plan this should be a back and ab day, but clearly my abs are out of order so back only! I enjoyed it. Fatigued as shit today, but with the right amount of napping and tv watching I managed to get this done. I also got hailed on when I walked the dog. Good times
BW has dipped a bit as my appetite has been well down. 80.3kg
Haha, man after the arnold presses my front delts were fried to the point I had to wait about 10 minutes before I could do any dips. And even then they hurt for the rest of the workout. Might do them slightly lighter next time or perhaps adjust the order of exercises. Mainly because having my fronts delts so rooted meant it was hard to get much work into my triceps.
45 degree Leg Press
13 x 80kg
10 x 100
8 x 120
8 x 130
8 x 130
Flat Leg Press
15 x 80kg
15 x 90
12 x 100
Leg Extension
15 x 40kg
12 x 50
10 x 60
8 x 70
Seated Leg Curl
10 x 50kg
10 x 60
10 x 70
10 x 80
Standing Calf Raise
15 x 40kg
13 x 60
12 x 80
12 x 90
15 x 100
DB Single Leg Calf Raise
20, 16, 10 x 30kg
It was weird working out in a gym for the first time in 3 years, and even more weird using machines. They were kinda limited in equipment so I couldn’t do much hammy work and I was horrified at how weak my legs have become! But I enjoyed myself.
I just took the last dose of my chemotherapy. Wow, what a journey that was. Thousands of pills, three hospitalisations, fluctuating nausea and fatigue, all kinds of ups and downs. I’m proud that I managed to keep training throughout chemo and that I never quit the treatment regardless of how horrific I felt at times. It won’t be immediate, but I’m pretty excited about returning to life with a deeper appreciation and of course working on regaining my lost strength.
Still have a few years of regular scans and bloodwork before I’m “out of the woods” but I am confident of being cured and will not allow my mind to obsess over negative aspects.
Takeaway message would be if you have ongoing health oddities, demand answers rather than just shrugging it off. And finding a way to continuously develop appreciation of the goodness in the world and those who inhabit it.
Thanks for all the views and kind words during this period of time.
Congrats on finishing & sticking with it through all the shitty times. Enjoy your now chemo free training, you certainly deserve continued progress for your positive attitude throughout. Hopefully people in a similar situation will come across your log & find inspiration & motivation too.