WTF happened to my strength?? Please help...

SDaigneault

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I'm seriously getting depressed.

Here's what happened. I had been on Bobo's training plan for about a year, alternating between the building lean plan and the bulking plan.

Since it'd been so long since I switched it up, I decided to try a new workout I saw. Here is the workout:

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ROUTINE 1: Upper/Lower/Upper (ULU) Heavy/Light

Heavy = 3 sets of 3-5 reps
Light = 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Follow this routine for a week, then use the same routine for the second week - but change each "heavy weight" to "light weight". On week 3, return to your routine from week 1.

** I added an extra rest day to the schedule below between upper body days to allow for better recovery.

DAY 1: Upper 1 (light weight)

1) Incline bench (bb)
2) Wide-grip rows (cable)
3) Decline or Flat bench (bb)
4) Narrow-grip rows (cable)
5) Reverse fly (pec deck or unilateral db)
6) Incline or Flat fly
7) Concentration curls (db)
8) Overhand grip curls (db)
9) Hammer curls (db)

DAY 2: Lower Body (heavy weight)

1) Squats (smith)
2) Standing 1-leg calve extension (machine press/db)
3) Ham curls (seated machine)
4) Quad extensions (seated mach)
5) Ham curls (lying mach)
6) Calves (Roman chair)
7) Straight-leg dead lifts (bb)

DAY 3: OFF / Cardio / Abs

DAY 4: Upper Body 2 (heavy weight)

1) Military press (smith/db)
2) Wide-grip pulldowns (cable)
3) Lateral raises (db/cab)
4) Narrow-grip pulldowns (cable)
5) Pullovers (db/cab)
6) Upright rows (db/smith/cab)
7) Front raises (db/cab)
8) Shrugs (smith/db)
9) Close-grip bench (smith)
10) Overhead extensions (db/cab)
11) Pronated pushdowns (cab)

DAY 5: OFF / Cardio / Abs

DAY 6: Lower Body (light weight)
(identical to Day 2 with light weight)

DAY 7: OFF / Cardio / Abs
--------------------

I did this for a few weeks. During this time, I got off of my last post cycle therapy that I had been on for 12 weeks. I was done with the clomid and was just taking lean xtreme + rebound reloaded. I'm still taking N'Gorge.

Anyway, during this time, I was flat benching 100lbs in each hand during the heavy day, and 85lbs during the lighter day.

Then something happened. I admit I missed a few days, but nothing more than 2 days in a row. And I did strain my shoulder at one point some, but nothing that was painful for more than that day. Anyways, all of a sudden, I go into the gym, and try to do chest, and I can't lift more than 55lbs in each hand. My left arm is especially weak. There isn't any pain, I'm just really weak. I'm totally rested, been eating good, haven't lost any weight actually, no drinking or partying at all. I'm totally freakin stumped and really depressed by it. I haven't lifted that little since I first started.

Does anyone have any idea what might have happened? Did I just use the wrong routine? I noticed in the routine that my triceps weren't getting hit much, and I think that's part of it. But god the drop in strength is so much.

:wtf:
 
Vicarious

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good god man..thats freekin terrible. maybe your boys still aren't kicking in. did you use a prohormone? when is the last time you took a whole week off from lifting? I just came off the week rest and it did wonders for me.
 

SDaigneault

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good god man..thats freekin terrible. maybe your boys still aren't kicking in. did you use a prohormone? when is the last time you took a whole week off from lifting? I just came off the week rest and it did wonders for me.
My sex drive is still off. I been struggling with a little depression this fall tho, which I wonder if coming off the juice had something to do with it. I wasn't on prohormones, but deca, just 200mg for 12 weeks. basically just wanted to keep or build a little lean musl by burning fat.

yeh, it's really ****ing bad. the worse part is I have NO CLUE why this is happening. I went back on Bobo's bulking plan, and actually took an extra day off over the weekend, slept a ton, just to make sure I'm all rested and not overtrained. Went in today, and same old ****. Left arm is especially weak.

Legs are fine tho. As are bi's. Both of those I'm lifting basically the same amount, legs actually more. But anything with shoulder or chest or tri... i'm super weak. Chest is the worse.

Shoudl I take a week off? God the thought of doing that scares the crap outta me. Would I come back even weaker?? :(
 

Jstrong20

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It sounds like you fried your CNS. This can happen when lifting heavy weigths if you don't rotate your exercises enough or have an easy week every 3rd or 4th week. The best thing to do would be to cut back either the volume or weight to 60% for a week. Also instead of going balls to the wall, slowly work your way back up to your previous best until you hit a pr and then back off some.
 

SDaigneault

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It sounds like you fried your CNS. This can happen when lifting heavy weigths if you don't rotate your exercises enough or have an easy week every 3rd or 4th week. The best thing to do would be to cut back either the volume or weight to 60% for a week. Also instead of going balls to the wall, slowly work your way back up to your previous best until you hit a pr and then back off some.
OK thanks... that's helpful.

I'm already lifting so much less, do I cut back from that as well? I mean, I could barely get 6 reps finished with 55lbs in each hand. it's the strangest feeling to not be able to do more. So I drop down to 45lbs and only do 3 sets instead of 4?
 
Vicarious

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This what i did on my week off. cardio for 30 minutes every day and 2 days (tues and thurs) I did 1x20 on all the machines. nothing heavy but got a good pump. really worked wonders thus far. if you've got insurance it would probably be best to go to your doctor and get some bloodwork done. If you keep on lifting though I would cut the weight down to where you can 15 to 20 reps in. heavy all the time is murder on your body. I made that mistake once and I wont do it again.

Sure the week off is tough. My wife actually looked at me the last day I was off and said " geez honey your starting to look normal"..thanks..great. you lose your pump a bit but when you get back in the gym the weights go right up. its worth it
 

SDaigneault

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OK, I must be in denial. I forgot to mention....

Last week, when I went back on Bobo's plan, one of the first exercises I did was Arnold's. And let me tell you, my shoulder hurt like a *****. Left one especially. I had to drop weight and be really careful to make sure the weights were more in front of my body, almost like a incline.

I thought about this because yesterday I did chest, and this morning, my left shoulder is hurting.

I'm guessing this is what they call a torn rotator cuff? If this is the case, what do I do to heal? can I lift at all?

I'm thinking of seeing my doc too, but it's tough with my job to get out for an office visit like that...
 
Vicarious

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theres almost nothing you can do for a torn rotator cuff. unless you go under the knife. they just heal on thier own and never quite right. I had a minor tear in my left in 97, has never been the same. not bad but something I need to aware of and warming up has to take a little longer when doing shoulders and chest. Has never effect strength though. I'm sure there are some supps that say they fix rotator cuffs..couldn't hurt
 
xtraflossy

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CISSUS! :study:

Also, you had mentioned your PCT, and your cycle.
Now, maybe the extra glycogen retention from the deca was all used up, causeing you to loose strength. Steroid effects can linger a few weeks after you discontinue use
Or maybe when you stopped the clomid... (you know even clomid will casue some sort of supression.... but kinda in reverse)

HOW much weight did you put on in the last 12+ weeks?
Not having your sex drive can be a sign that theres is some imbalance in hormone levles,.. or that they are low.

I have never expirenced the reductions your talking about. minus 50% on bench almost overnight!!?? And it wasn't "just a bad day" or you didnt eat enough

If you hurt yourself to effect the degree your talking about, you probably would be feeling it.
 

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