How does a stressful day sabotage your lifts?

[BigVrunga]

I worked an 11 hour day today, nearly all of that time on my feet. Im a restaurant manager, so I was dealing with all the stresses of that, didnt get to eat too much, etc. On top of that, hadnt been to the gym in 4 days because of work.
So anyway, I went to the gym tonight after work and prepared to do some squats. Usually, even on a day when Im just going light Ill do sets of 315x10. Tonight, 225 felt like a damn truck!! Seriously, I could barely make it out of the hole by my 3rd set.

I managed to refocus myself with some well placed death-metal and come back decent by the end of my workout. I know that stress,etc can mess up your training...

My question is what exactly is going on chemically in the body to cause a near 100lb drop in my squat?!

BV

 

[Matthew D]

more than likely it is fatigue due to adreniline being secreated over the day.. which in turn causes the crappy workout..

 

[hypo]

maybe your leg muscles were just fatigued from running around all day?

 

[supersoldier]

I started a thread very similar to this. Only I work nights, so I sleep all day, wake up, eat, take supps, ect., then train about 2-3 hours after waking. I can see if you work 11 hours and have stress all day at work, being physically and mentally taxed when you try to train afterwards. But my whole work/eat/sleep/train schedule is basically the same day in and day out.

Damn it's getting late (early), I don't even know what point I'm trying to make anymore. :think:

 

[DmitryWI]

I worked an 11 hour day today, nearly all of that time on my feet. Im a restaurant manager, so I was dealing with all the stresses of that, didnt get to eat too much, etc. On top of that, hadnt been to the gym in 4 days because of work.
So anyway, I went to the gym tonight after work and prepared to do some squats. Usually, even on a day when Im just going light Ill do sets of 315x10. Tonight, 225 felt like a damn truck!! Seriously, I could barely make it out of the hole by my 3rd set.

I managed to refocus myself with some well placed death-metal and come back decent by the end of my workout. I know that stress,etc can mess up your training...

My question is what exactly is going on chemically in the body to cause a near 100lb drop in my squat?!

BV

I hear ya, man. I spend most of my days on my feet too. I try to work my legs on weekends only. Also I work my legs every 10-12 days.

 

[GuardDog]

I used to try and workout aftware work, but it hardly ever happened, especially if I didn't take any energy supps like caffiene tabs. The tabs and others helped somewhat, but I still felt like I was missing. So I changed to where I workout before going to work to see if that helps and it is going great. I wake up a hour or two early to fit it in before work and leave any extra workouts I might get for the post work oppurtunities.

 

[intv]

I get the same way after a really stressful day, just drained. Sometimes I can have a protein shake, unwind and get it together enough to make it through my workout. If I'm too tired to lift, I'll go hammer the heavy bag for 30 minutes. It's easier on my nervous system and helps me sleep like a baby, so I'm well rested and can make up my workout the next day.

 

[BigVrunga]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I hear ya, man. I spend most of my days on my feet too. I try to work my legs on weekends only. Also I work my legs every 10-12 days.

You know, I was hitting legs every other week, but started feeling guilty so Ive been pounding them every week for 3 weeks now. Its very possible that they may have just not recovered, especially after 5 days straight of 10-11 hours on my feet each day. (I hate my freaking job!!!)

My work schedule is so erratic that I have to get to the gym whenever I can. Ill just have to deal with it until I can find less-stressful employment.

You know, when I got serious about lifting I was working 20-30 hours a week as a waiter and going to school. The gains flowed effortlessly, and I could focus on diet and rest and a consistent routine. In the past 15 months since Ive started this job, my strength has gone up a bit, and ive retained my mass, but its so hard to make gains. I know what I need to do, I just dont have the time to do it. And seeing how I almost never get a straight 8 hours of sleep (lucky to get 4 + 2-3 hour nap), my recovery is in the toilet.

Ill make it work 240 here i come, damn it!!

BV

 

[julius kelp]

i don't have to be on my feet hardly at all at work, but the pace is often high & for hours at times. stress really wears me out too. especially if i'm trying to pound the stims all day to keep up. i experienced a yawning session this evening. i pushed my way through, but only got mediocre results. no pr's in that state.

 

[Gumbo]

I have a very stressful job, but I workout first thing in the morning at 4am before I get burned out. ALCOR during the day definitely helps my mood.

Gumbo

 

[Gumbo]

Sorry...I meant ALCAR, not ALCOR....but you folks probably new that.

Gumbo

 

[BigVrunga]

Ive never tried any mood enhancing meds, although Rhodiola Rosea worked surprisingly well. I stopped taking it, because while on it, Im just not pissed off. It made me feel kind of complacent in the situation I was in(but definately reduced stress levels), and I need to stay motivated to find different work.