I have a serious problem with following a certain program for a long time. Most of all I managed to follow a certain program for about two or three months or a little more. And I’ve been doing this nonsense for over 6 years now - I just go to the gym and train whatever I like. I feel great, I’m happy, but I don’t have any tangible progress, nor am I that muscular. And the problem is not so much that I quickly get tired of the specific program or because I think that the program does not work, so I have to change it. The problem is in my desires: what I want to be.
At one point I think it would be best to train for strength and I want to focus on powerlifting. Then (when I see myself in the mirror and I like the growth of some muscles) I say to myself that I have to train as a bodybuilder and the strength should be in the background. Then I say to myself that at my age I have to be resilient, so I should emphasize this indicator, ignoring strength and hypertrophy. I have to train often with light weights, a lot of volume, run a lot and so on. I’m fat and I want to lose fat because I started to get sick, but since my diet is not precise, I don’t know if I will be able to keep my muscles. I can’t eat that much protein every day. Not because I don’t like it, but I don’t think it’s that useful. If I want to be strong and increase strength, I should eat more, not be calorie deficient. I know that health should be a priority, but I am very depressed if I know that after losing fat my strength can drop a lot. I can also lose muscle.
At one point I don’t seem to care much, but the next day it’s the other way around. It’s just that I’ve been frivolous for years, so the results are the same. I am completely fickle in following certain programs. My desires change every day, sometimes every hour. Maybe I need a psychoanalyst I’m kidding of course, my mental health is perfect, but I just don’t know what I want. Not what will be best for me, but my desires are constantly changing.
I guess other people here have a similar problem.
What is the treatment for this disgrace Give some advice, because it can not continue.
I need a mental setting that doesn’t change my desires, but I can’t.
Have you ever thought about following a program with great variation? I come to think about Fortitude Training (Scott Stevenson). Obviously a hypertrophy based program, but nevertheless - very varied.
What program to run is not the main problem. There are many programs for this purpose that I am well aware of. As I said, my problem is that I myself do not know exactly what I want: to be a weightlifter, with my main goal being to lift more weights, no matter what I look like, or to be a bodybuilder, with the leading goal being more muscle and less fat or I don’t care how much muscle I have and how much I can lift, but to be low in fat, to look athletic and physically able to do athletic activities. And these desires are constantly changing.
Apart from what I’m talking about, the bad thing is that my head is a combination of a big mess and constant doubts:
Deadlift, Squat - very useful exercises / at least that’s what people say /, but if performed correctly. What if I do them wrong sometimes and get seriously injured. The chance of making a mistake is great if I do them often. I’m not a powerlifter, why should I do them, are their benefits so irreplaceable. Then I say to myself: man, look how athletic you start to look when you do these two exercises - don’t stop doing them, nothing hurts you at the moment. Then again, doubt: why don’t many of the older former bodybuilders do these two exercises, are they so stupid. Apparently they have some reason not to do them, but at the same time they are healthy men and not injured. Probably the risk is great and therefore they do not fulfill them.
I read articles from professional coaches who are considered to be good specialists. Some say: if you’re over 40, don’t do less than 6 reps, even 8-10 is best. And he says: Oh, if anyone could advise me when I was young, not to train with less than 6 reps.
-Then another article written again by a good coach says: the old man should train only for strength with basic heavy exercises. You should not perform more than 5 repetitions.
Then another article: An old person who is at risk of diabetes should train 4-5 times a week with a lot of volume, with weights of about 70% of the maximum, with short breaks to be able to burn glycogen from his muscles. This approach is generally best for people over 40 years of age.
I go to my gym and for 2-3 years I see that the best looking 45-50 year old man does not touch free weights. He trains with more repetitions only on machines. Dumbbells are used only when training your biceps. I immediately think: this is not possible, obviously taking steroids. Because in my head is the thought that such a body without steroids can not be built if you do not use free weights and perform heavy basic exercises. That’s what experts say, but I’m beginning to doubt it.
At this stage you are not going to be elite or excel at either being a bodybuilder or a power lifter. Hard to hear but its true, so why worry so much. Pick a routine that will make you stronger, leaner, more muscular, more exposive and fitter and more athletic all at the same time.
I would do crossfit or something similar for training.
For diet, this could be a trip
Otherwise, periodization could be a great answer to both. Super Squats laid it out great: 6 weeks of Super Squats, 6 weeks of a 5x5, repeat. Pair it with what Marty Gallagher suggests in “Purposeful Primitive”: Eat big on Super Squats, Warrior Diet during the 5x5.
Of course I love them. I wrote that I have not stopped training for 6 years. Some people train because they have to, and I enjoy the tension of lifting weights. I can go to the gym almost every day if I’m not tired or if I’m not involved in some family things. But the old man had to rest more I still want to believe that I can train often and I will not have health problems.
Not only do I not know what I want and I change my desires, I also change my training patterns. One time I want to lift heavier, another time lighter with more volume. Once I am glad that the circumference of my arms has increased without caring that my waist has grown. Another time I’m happy when the scale shows a lower weight, I don’t care that it goes around my arms and it has shrunk.
Crazy man
I want to have only one wish in my head and to follow a strategy for its realization. The problem is that desires change very quickly.
Then you have answered your own question. You don’t HAVE to train for hypertrophy or strength.
Just divide the year up in quarters. Run a strength block for 3 months, a hypertrophy block for 3 months, and alternative or run a functional block.
So many people get hung up and one way to train. They are not mutually exclusive.
Make the GOAL to be a healthy and happy as you can for you. It’s okay to train for the sake of training. It is good to switch things up.
Because I’m hypertensive, I’m a little scared of doing CrossFit. Some time ago I was advised not to lift weights at all, but since I started training my blood pressure is much better. I was taking medication, but before I started training my blood pressure was high despite taking medication. I was also advised not to have a very high heart rate, and the CrossFit heart rate rises a lot. I have no problem training with heavy and low reps, as well as moderate weights with more reps and short breaks. I feel very good in both ways, both in the gym and then at home. But this is quite different from CrossFit. I don’t do any conditioning - understand 0 (zero) I tried CrossFit and this thing just kills me. I’m not sick, but the fatigue is great and comes quickly.
I also have a slight concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle (it turns out that most hypertensives have this, but they don’t know it), although my heart is 100% functional. That’s what the doctor said after the ultrasound and other detailed examinations. So I think that really expanding the volume of the heart through cardio will balance the problem to some extent. I say this as information, I have no problem training. However, I consider what I can do without being very risky for me.
I have vices that I have not stopped - I drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. I am fat - 33% fat was measured on one device. Although I think there are fewer. Sometimes I have high blood sugar in the morning, it is not diabetic, but it is higher than normal. After eating I am back to normal. And I still think that if I lose weight and stop drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, things will get better. That’s why I don’t dare to eat and gain weight, and then cut. Soon I was on vacation for a week and without eating desserts and pasta I gained about 8 pounds … just a lot of meat, salads and alcohol.
I started Leviathan on JW, but let’s see how long I will be able to do it. I have single heavy ones, but I also have volume.
Yes, I will try to do it.
Yesterday I did a Shoulder Press, today I will do Deadlifts, tomorrow a Bench Press, and on Sunday I will Squat. I will not have a break between days and I will perform the first week of the cycle in 4 consecutive days.
This I think gives an even clearer answer to whether I like to train
Because I started the program yesterday and I want to finish all the movements for the week by Sunday.
Due to health problems I had and still have with my ass, today I will decide whether to do a standard Deadlift or a deadlift with a Trap Bar. And sometimes my lower back hurts, even though I don’t do flexion and my back is always straight.
No, you didn’t understand me. Now I will do it in 4 consecutive days, without many additional exercises. My lower back sometimes hurt when I did Deadlifts, even though I hadn’t squatted or practiced anything the day before.
And what about the ass - I have had hemorrhoids for many years, but last year I was in a lot of pain twice last year and then I decided not to train with free weights at all. Squat and Deadlift had erased them. I’m not in pain at the moment, but there is a risk that when the weights get bigger I will have a relapse.
Well, I think my form is generally good. I’m uploading a video I’ve shot before. Otherwise, today I do traction, I’m even in the gym while writing this opinion. Rather, the muscles around my spine must be sore. I have no problem now, except for a slight tension in these muscles.
I’m kidding of course, my mental health is perfect, but I just don’t know what I want. Not what will be best for me, but my desires are constantly changing.