Really struggling - week off, deload or MTFU?

[Heathwood]

Hi guys,

I've been following a 3 to 4 day a week full body workout for 4 or 5 months. I increase the weight nearly every session and have made modest but noticeable progress (looking for lean gains).

Until fairly recently I quite looked forward to training. I usually hit a couple of PB's per session and felt good afterwards.

However, I've found things increasingly difficult for the past few weeks. I feel incredibly tired and fatigued and am struggling to lift weight that I've managed previously. A couple of times I've not managed to finish my workout and I'm getting persistent rotator cuff pain, which is irritating.

The tiredness can be attributed to some extent to having a demanding (but amazing) little 8 months old, but of course I've managed ok until recently (perhaps things have caught up with me).

Also, being that I've been increasing weight for a while now, things are naturally now much harder and I'm having to go to failure more often. I'm also conscious that a bit of boredom might be creeping in.

Has anyone else experienced this? What did you do to get over the hurdle?

Would easing back for a week or so help, or should I just plough on?

[944fan]

Week off. Job jobbed.

You will feel like superman when you return.

[mattikake]

^ what he said. Could be approaching over-training. Never neglect your rotators either. Weaknesses here will sap your pushing power and first rep confidence.

Or do a cutting week with loads of <120bpm light and long CV.

Or just completely switch routine. If you're in the 6 rep range, swap to a 40 rep+ range (burn sets) for a couple of weeks. I find a mix of 1 week @ 6 reps, 1 week @ 21s and 1 week @ 40-100 reps tend to mix quite well. It's a full muscle confusion workout.

[smiffy180]

My current training plan is a deload every 4th week. If you don't do any like I used to take a week off every 3-4months to allow your body to recover.

[Heathwood]

Thanks for the advice folks. I think I might take a week off. I'll continue eating well and keep intake around maintenance.

Maybe I'll look into changing things a little in preparing to start lifting again next week.

[grumbledoak]

Heathwood said:

and I'm getting persistent rotator cuff pain, which is irritating.

Er, stop? Get it rested and checked out? Or plough on 'til it's really fked up? "The decision," as Cilla says, "is yours."

Other than that it sounds like overtraining. A week off cannot hurt, so do that. Lift the little one; they aren't little for long.

[ali4390]

grumbledoak said:

Heathwood said:

and I'm getting persistent rotator cuff pain, which is irritating.

Er, stop? Get it rested and checked out? Or plough on 'til it's really fked up? "The decision," as Cilla says, "is yours."

What he said.

I had a few problems with my rotator cuff when I was younger (and I'm only 23 now) due to rugby. I never got it looked at and always worked through the pain or tried to do exercises that didn't involve it too much. Regretting it now as I still get pain with it but apparently there isn't anything I can do to fully heal it anymore.