Big problem: unable to train light

[AutoKal47]

So I finally went too far with my training
and pulled? tore? some muscle on the left side of my back
4 days ago while doing - go figure - one of my fav exercise
which was DB rows.
For those who don't know me my training intensity could
be described as something between war torture and
masochism, I train 7 days a week, I go as heavy as I can
all the time, I train to failure all the time, I do very high
intensity and yet my workouts are all more than 3 hours long
so very high volume as well.
While I don't care about weight and I don't have huge numbers on my lifts
all the compounds are more than twice my bodyweights,
some closer to 3 times. I'm no good with 1RMs but I can move
90% of my 1RM for like 15 reps, my CNS is kinda strange.

So 4 days ago on my 3rd set of DB rows my left side was hurting more than usual,
my initial thought was "wow, it feels awesome I'm hitting my lats like no tomorrow.."
but the pain was just a tad off, something wasn't right.
On the third rep on my left arm
I heard this gut-wrenching sound, not a crack, not a pop, a deaf, muffled "strap" sound
coming from my back, it was horrible. The pain wasn't much at first but I def knew
something was gone bad.
After few attempts to finish my workout I gave up, the pain started to come
quickly becoming unbearable.

I got two muscle relaxer and painkiller injections and the pain went away.
Thoughts of not being able to train again were killing me that night
and I swore to myself that if that turned out to be nothing major
I was going to lower my intensity and train a lil lighter and/or smarter.

The next day tho' I was feeling much better already, not even close to be
able to lift using my back but I could breathe at least.
So what did I do? Well, it was chest day. I did chest.
I started light and without noticing it I somehow I managed to figure out what exercises
I could go heavy again without activating the offended muscles,
I mean I was doing single cluster sets of weighted dips with 90 pounds
strapped on me with pretty much all the muscles on the left side of my
back pulled.. how stupid is that? Did I know it? Yes
Could I stop myself? Nope

Bottom line: I realized I am just not able to train light,
I'm not able NOT to go to failure every time, no matter what.
I don't do it that way I just lose interest in being in the weight room.
At the same time I realize that I'm gonna hurt myself badly one of these days.
What concerns me the most is the way I injured myself this time,
I can stand a great deal of pain, way above the average bbs,
but I've always thought - assuming perfect form - you just *couldn't*
hurt yourself voluntarily like I did, that somehow the body/mind
had some sort of "fail safe", that the pain became unbearable BEFORE
tearing your muscles apart. I mean an accident I understand,
bad movement, too quick, not warmed up ok.. but like that?
I knew the pain was too much but hey, if I can stand I can go on right? Rite..

So I'm asking for some advice here, how the heck do you learn to train light?
When is that heavy becomes TOO heavy? How do you even enjoy training light?
Because that's my problem, I love to train if I train heavy, I feel like I'm fooling
myself if I train light, I don't like it, I wanna get out of the gym if I can't go balls to the walls
How do you guys do that?

 

[napalm]

Programming and patience, with patience being the most important.

Good luck...

 

[JD261985]

You can train light you just don't want to. We all have to do things we don't want to do. Your body is telling you to lighten the load. I would listen if I were you. Its not worth it to risk never being able to lift again

 

[AutoKal47]

You can train light you just don't want to. We all have to do things we don't want to do. Your body is telling you to lighten the load. I would listen if I were you. Its not worth it to risk never being able to lift again

I know that's what is happening and I know I should do it,
but I can't seem to be able to. I was looking if someone had the same experience,
and how did they went from training like I do to a lighter protocol and actually
still enjoy training

 

[NYiron]

I know that's what is happening and I know I should do it,
but I can't seem to be able to. I was looking if someone had the same experience,
and how did they went from training like I do to a lighter protocol and actually
still enjoy training

Like JD said its not that you can't, you just don't want to. Well first things first, drop your volume significantly! The 3 hours training and 7 days a week you have listed, at that intensity, is just asking for problems. Also, you don't necessarily need to go lighter. Once your healed and back at 100 percent you should be alright to still train heavy but include mobility work to ensure you remain resistant to injury. Take a rest day! You don't grow in the gym.

 

[Wilcox]

Take a look at FST-7. You may be lifting lighter weights but you will sure as hell feel like your going balls to the wall after your done. Big pumps and a good way to gain some extra mass.

 

[AutoKal47]

Like JD said its not that you can't, you just don't want to. Well first things first, drop your volume significantly! The 3 hours training and 7 days a week you have listed, at that intensity, is just asking for problems. Also, you don't necessarily need to go lighter. Once your healed and back at 100 percent you should be alright to still train heavy but include mobility work to ensure you remain resistant to injury. Take a rest day! You don't grow in the gym.

My training (after 15 years) "evolved" into this and I've been training like that for more than 3 years now
I'm not after growing, getting bigger etc.. I just like to push myself to the limit

Take a look at FST-7. You may be lifting lighter weights but you will sure as hell feel like your going balls to the wall after your done. Big pumps and a good way to gain some extra mass.

I'll look into that, thanks man

 

[AutoKal47]

I just checked out FST-7, it looks very very close to what my actual
workout is, a lot less volume tho', is like what I'm doing now that I'm injured.

Funny thing is, I had to train lighter and switch some exercises the past 5 days
and I did get DOMS and felt great stimulation on the trained muscles,
so this tells me that I actually do know how to train lighter, so this makes me feel
not too bad AFTER the workout, as in "ok I got the work done somehow"

Is just that I really dislike training this way, I don't feel motivated when I start working out
because I know from the beginning I won't be able to wore myself out like I usually do
I know it sounds crazy, but if I don't end up panting on the floor it doesn't feel right to me :/
bah.. I just hope I'll get back to be 100% soon

Any advice on how to speed up the recovery? Aside from anti inflammatory, ice, painkillers?
I know peptides would be the best way, but eh, they're a tad too expensive

 

[PROness]

Didn't read the OPs novel of a post but I can say that...

You're way over trained. You need to de load for at least a month if you want to fully recover and start making gains again. Overtraining is the cancer of weight lifting and if you acquire it you need to stop and recover immediately.

 

[asooneyeonig]

Any advice on how to speed up the recovery? Aside from anti inflammatory, ice, painkillers?
I know peptides would be the best way, but eh, they're a tad too expensive

i would say not to use ice or anti inflammatory. i find it hard to believe that the human body does not have an effective way to heal itself. if anything i would say deload workouts are your best option. in other words doing what you claim you cannot by going no more then 60% of your max for just a few sets of about 5 reps.

i would take this time to do a lot of mobility work. go to mobilitywod.com and hit the shoulders and hips every day. do lots of foam rolling as well.

 

[AutoKal47]

Didn't read the OPs novel of a post but I can say that...

You're way over trained. You need to de load for at least a month if you want to fully recover and start making gains again. Overtraining is the cancer of weight lifting and if you acquire it you need to stop and recover immediately.

I don't care about making gains, I'm ok with my weight/size, I'm all about condition if anything.
I just want my body to do what I tell it to. I am overtrained, you can't even imagine how much
Sh#t my DL set alone is probably enough to overtrain someone 20 pounds heavier than me for a week..

i would say not to use ice or anti inflammatory. i find it hard to believe that the human body does not have an effective way to heal itself. if anything i would say deload workouts are your best option. in other words doing what you claim you cannot by going no more then 60% of your max for just a few sets of about 5 reps.

i would take this time to do a lot of mobility work. go to mobilitywod.com and hit the shoulders and hips every day. do lots of foam rolling as well.

The site looks interesting man, thanks for the link.
Sure the body can heal itself (to some extent), I just want to speed the process up
because I hate not to be able to go all the way, that's it

 

[houstontexas]

I haven't ever trained like you do but I know it's hard to take it easy even when you know it's the right thing to do. I'm 7mo post surgery and struggle with keeping the weight and volume at a safe level. I know better but it's hard to retrain my mind to accept it.

 

[supermanjow]

Start using nothing but pre-exhaust supersets for a while and up your reps to the 15-20 rep range.

 

[AutoKal47]

Thanks guys

breaking news I think what happened is my new lifting belt bruised/cracked one of my ribs @_@

This thought came to my mind because I realized I was able to lift some pretty heavy
weight for having a muscle pulled, but a simple breathe was hurting like crazy.

I do feel already much better and today I went fairly heavy again and at some point
I wore this new lifting belt that I had for just more than a week.
As soon as I put the belt on and moved the pain came back very very sharp!

So I googled ribs and lifting belt and I found A LOT of people claiming
they cracked or bruised their rib because of the belt.
This new one is thinner than the one I had before and less "padded"
and it just sits a bit higher than the old one..

All this really makes me think that is the problem and the muscle
around the offended rib hurts because of that.

Am I completely off here? Is that possible?
And yes, I was wearing it very tight when the bad happened...
To be honest the more I think about this the more make sense,
my back muscles are tough as sh#t, my bones on the other hand
are thin as sh#t, plus I have ridiculously low testosterone levels
which can cause poor bone density.

Now if that's the case I know is not broken because like I said,
i'm not 100% but I do already feel much better and I'd be a case study
if I recovered from a broken rib this fast, so it might be just cracked or bruised?

And again if that's the case: WTH? the lifting belt???!

 

[asooneyeonig]

Sure the body can heal itself (to some extent), I just want to speed the process up
because I hate not to be able to go all the way, that's it

here is how you can speed it up:
http://www.mobilitywod.com/2012/08/people-weve-got-to-stop-icing-we-were-wrong-sooo-wrong.html

 

[supermanjow]

Certainly sounds like a plausible explanation.