Hey guys,
For the last 2 months I was/am in a depression out of which I’m slowly crawling up. I haven’t trained at all, and thus I’ve not utilized my newbie gains as I should have. Oh and I started eating again, eating like crazy. Fluf all over my upper body.
What should I do now? How to get into training again? From where should I start?
PS: First I was doing my own variation of stronglifts 5x5, after that I switched to BBB.
[quote]Kardash wrote:
Hey guys,
For the last 2 months I was/am in a depression out of which I’m slowly crawling up. I haven’t trained at all, and thus I’ve not utilized my newbie gains as I should have. Oh and I started eating again, eating like crazy. Fluf all over my upper body.
What should I do now? How to get into training again? From where should I start?
PS: First I was doing my own variation of stronglifts 5x5, after that I switched to BBB.[/quote]
I’m not sure I understand. Are you doing 5/3/1 BBB right now? Because if you bought the book and are doing that then I’m pretty sure you already started getting back into training and you don’t need my help.
[quote]csulli wrote:
[quote]Kardash wrote:
Hey guys,
For the last 2 months I was/am in a depression out of which I’m slowly crawling up. I haven’t trained at all, and thus I’ve not utilized my newbie gains as I should have. Oh and I started eating again, eating like crazy. Fluf all over my upper body.
What should I do now? How to get into training again? From where should I start?
PS: First I was doing my own variation of stronglifts 5x5, after that I switched to BBB.[/quote]
I’m not sure I understand. Are you doing 5/3/1 BBB right now? Because if you bought the book and are doing that then I’m pretty sure you already started getting back into training and you don’t need my help.
[/quote]
No I haven’t been training for 2 months. It’s in the OP :). 5/3/1 is what I was doing before I got err mindfucked.
Make small, very achievable goals to start with, and just keep making steady progress. I’m sure 5/3/1 will be fine for this. Well done on beating your depression thus far. Keep going.
[quote]Kardash wrote:
No I haven’t been training for 2 months. It’s in the OP :). 5/3/1 is what I was doing before I got err mindfucked.[/quote]
Ah well just get back on it then! Bish bash bosh, you’re good to go.
Empty bar 3x/week then work up
Go back to 5x5 or starting strength and don’t make your own variation of it.
i see this all the time with people i have lifted with in my day. Although not everyone has battled back from tough mental times as you have, they have lost their gym drive for a multitude of reasons: work, kids, life, laziness, lack of results, injuries, etc.
The programming should be secondary. As Consul said, your goals should be simple and achievable at first. Even if it is as straightforward as simply getting three days in the gym for four weeks. A common mistake i see with people returning is they come back like they never left, expecting to be able to perform the same lifts at the same weight for the same reps. Then when they do not perform to their own expectations, they get frustrated and program flip, or worse, stop lifting again.
531 is a great program for returning to strength training, as long as you program honestly. It is good because it gives you the opportunity to hit the major lifts in a way that you can always challenge yourself, and still feel successful by setting PR’s and consistently increasing weight from week one to week 52.
Figure out what you enjoy about lifting. What you want to accomplish by going to the gym. If you want to increase strength, program for that. If you want to get huge, program for that, but be realistic and set short-term goals that give you the best opportunity to achieve your long-term goals as well.
Based on your post, I would recommend simplifying your diet. Eat well, not more. Adjust your diet as your lifting becomes consistent again. Really simplify. Good meals, protein, and sleep. Keep your house in order and improve with addition by subtraction. Do not try and do too much too fast.
I would also recommend hitting the big three lifts with 531. I personally do not program military press with 531, but that does not mean you cant. If you hit the big three each lifting day, you will be in a much better place in 4, 8, and 12 weeks.
Stagger your deloads so you are not getting into singles during the same week. This may not make a difference early, but as you work through some cycles, it will make a big difference later on.
And most importantly, celebrate the small victories every day. Be proud of your new PR’s, even if you once were stronger. Gyms are filled with yesterdays stories of strength. None of that matters. All that should matter is what you do today. The weight on your back or in your hands right now. Leave no doubt.
^
As someone that used weightlifting to battle addiction, this is pure gold.
[quote]dwfox wrote:
And most importantly, celebrate the small victories every day. Be proud of your new PR’s, even if you once were stronger. Gyms are filled with yesterdays stories of strength. None of that matters. All that should matter is what you do today. The weight on your back or in your hands right now. Leave no doubt.
[/quote]
Eloquent and so so true. Excellent post.
OP, I think we’ve all had things happen. Don’t lose sight of; what’s important, and what you HAVE to do to get back in the groove. I’ll save my story unless interested, but it’s effected my lifting and college significantly. Up until recently I couldnt figure things out.
Get help, not meds or anything, talk to a professional. It takes a big man to walk in that office and lay everything on the line. Also, if it doesn’t click quickly, find a different one. It’s like trying to find a good coach, there are good ones, but they aren’t always the first or 2nd pick.
Another thing. Sit down for a bit and think about when everything seemed to run smoother. Why was it? How was it? were other ppl involved?
Life can hit you hard, fight back as soon as your learn how to. Best of luck to you man.
[quote]dwfox wrote:
@kardash,
i see this all the time with people i have lifted with in my day. Although not everyone has battled back from tough mental times as you have, they have lost their gym drive for a multitude of reasons: work, kids, life, laziness, lack of results, injuries, etc.
The programming should be secondary. As Consul said, your goals should be simple and achievable at first. Even if it is as straightforward as simply getting three days in the gym for four weeks. A common mistake i see with people returning is they come back like they never left, expecting to be able to perform the same lifts at the same weight for the same reps. Then when they do not perform to their own expectations, they get frustrated and program flip, or worse, stop lifting again.
531 is a great program for returning to strength training, as long as you program honestly. It is good because it gives you the opportunity to hit the major lifts in a way that you can always challenge yourself, and still feel successful by setting PR’s and consistently increasing weight from week one to week 52.
Figure out what you enjoy about lifting. What you want to accomplish by going to the gym. If you want to increase strength, program for that. If you want to get huge, program for that, but be realistic and set short-term goals that give you the best opportunity to achieve your long-term goals as well.
Based on your post, I would recommend simplifying your diet. Eat well, not more. Adjust your diet as your lifting becomes consistent again. Really simplify. Good meals, protein, and sleep. Keep your house in order and improve with addition by subtraction. Do not try and do too much too fast.
I would also recommend hitting the big three lifts with 531. I personally do not program military press with 531, but that does not mean you cant. If you hit the big three each lifting day, you will be in a much better place in 4, 8, and 12 weeks.
Stagger your deloads so you are not getting into singles during the same week. This may not make a difference early, but as you work through some cycles, it will make a big difference later on.
And most importantly, celebrate the small victories every day. Be proud of your new PR’s, even if you once were stronger. Gyms are filled with yesterdays stories of strength. None of that matters. All that should matter is what you do today. The weight on your back or in your hands right now. Leave no doubt.
[/quote]
This is one of the best posts ever on this forum. Thank you mate.
Thanks.
I hope you are setting and reaching your goals. Keep getting the good work in.
This is off track, but dwfox, why do you not program the press with 5/3/1? Do you not like putting heavy things over your head?
I do not overhead press in the 531 format because it hurts, and not in a good way. I tore my rotator cuff and labrum about a decade ago playing football and after surgery to repair, i do not feel like that specific movement is the best for me personally. I do not think it is a negative move, but for me it is. I think this move specifically has a lot of people on both sides of the fence.
Many people with much more experience than I recommend totally removing all overhead pressing from their routines. I have found that removing all overhead pressing from my programming has let me focus more on shoulder health and stability, which has a greater carry over into my other lifts. I follow Joe DeFranco concepts on shoulder health. This has helped me continue to make steady gains in the bench, squat, and dead without destroying my shoulder.
This is a personal thing I have learned through lifting. If you can complete the lift safely, by all means. I am just not one of those people at this stage.