Ive been lifting heavy now for nearly 2 months consistently, almost trying to max out every time. Ive been feeling a little burnt out and am starting to think im losing motivation.
Should i be taking a week off from weights or lift lighter for some recovery time?
While I don’t think taking a week off is a horrible thing in terms of the big picture (I wouldn’t do it every two months!), make sure that you truly need the time off. Baring a serious injury, most people would more likely recommend you do back-off work for a short duration, or simply take a day or two off to rest, or do active recovery work.
If you have indeed been doing true failure work, you’re probably beaten up much moreso than just your muscles being tired, and could use a rest. Just don’t get into the habit of thinking you MUST take a break every X amount of weeks of training.
S
Thanks man, i may just hit the gym and lift a little lighter and easier this week, what are some recovery exercises i can do that can give me a good workout?
What’s your routine. Trying to max every session is more likely CNS fatigue than anything else.
I do mostly heavy compound lifts, bench, OHP, deads and squats, with some assisstance work like pullups, dips, rows etc.
I would suggest just taking a couple days off of training. I wouldnt even recommened maxing out every single time you work out. Takes a whole lot out of you and not only your muscles but mainly your joints. Lifting Heavy doesnt have to be maxing out.
Learn the difference between lifting heavy and maxing out. I’ve made some great strength gains by blasting doubles with weight I can lift for 3. Leaving a rep in the hole is the way to go when training heavy (under 5 reps).
Pretty sure you can hit two more? Do one more.
Know you can get one more, and maybe two? Do one more.
One more for sure, but not two? Rack it.
[quote]Feral Strength wrote:
I do mostly heavy compound lifts, bench, OHP, deads and squats, with some assisstance work like pullups, dips, rows etc.[/quote]
Good. This is very good. These are the exercises you need to be doing.
The problem is that it does not seem that you have any kind of structure to your training. You’ve got the pieces, but you have to put them together.
My advice, find a program that uses these movements (and ones like them) and organizes them in a way that is intellegence and allows for progression.
Look into 5/3/1, Juggernaut method, WS4SB, and any other kind of periodization program. There are a million of them out there.
Sounds like you are “exercising”, not “training”
"The difference between exercising and training is having a point. Exercise is done to waste energy–burn calories–or to “blow off steam”, excess mental and physical energy, and tension. Training is done in order to improve something–strength, endurance, neuromuscular control, etc. Exercise is a singular event with an immediate goal.