Guess I overtrained

I'm on the deload week of my second minicycle. I am not used to the high volume approach of the F1 elements, have mainly been training lower reps before. I have been doing 4 sessions F1 per week and about 2 session either climbing (bouldering) or kitesurfing.

After the first minicycle I felt tired but the at the end of the deload I felt I wanted more. This last cycle has been tough with both a greater ROM on the ABH and starting at week 9 for push-ups which I was far from able to achive even tough I had mastered it up to that point.

At this point I feel I'm not progressing much if all, I feel heavy, tired and weaker than ever.

So what to do short and longterm?

Shortterm, should I continue deload or take a complete rest? Should I take another deload week until I start feeling strong again?

Longterm, I will try 3 days per week. I will drop back to week 5 on the pushups. I will only do perfect reps and stop a set when needed. (tried to fill up the set in the previous minicyle so a set of pushups could be like 5+5+3+2 in the end) I would not like to drop my 2 days of climbing or kitesurfing, especially not the kitesurfing since it season right now.

Any feedback and tips?

I would take a week off of the strength training entirely. Do your iM work during that time though as it will help your recovery.

I think your plan for returning sounds good. The 3 day per week schedule should provide enough recovery time so long as you stop your sets when your body says rather than try to get the numbers. The numbers will come in time - no need to push.

For many of us, we strength train so we can better enjoy our lives ... thus I definitely wouldn't drop your climbing or kitesurfing since it sounds like that is your enjoyment right now.

One last thing be sure you are getting plenty of quality food.

Good luck!

- Chris

Agreed, if you are pursuing other strength-related activities then moving to 3 -a-week for a cycle or two to gauge your recovery sounds like the way to go to me. You can always add more later, and being restless isn't the same as not progressing. You definitely will keep moving forward.

If this was just the first session again after your deload, though, don't overthink it too much. My Monday sessions after deloading (I train Foundation MWF) have needed a little more effort than expected; the volume is up and although I'm psychologically raring to go it doesn't always feel that my body's quite in the groove yet. Usually my Wed (2nd) session is much more solid, and it's relatively smooth sailing from there.

Another thing to note is that with increase volume, regardless of what form i.e. F1, climbing, kitesurfing, etc., you have to adjust to make sure you are getting enough sleep/rest and quality nutrition  

- Dropping to 3 days per week is a good idea.

- Also don't engage in "grinding" reps.  These are those slow, almost to failure reps which are particularly draining on the central nervous system.  My recommendation is that when you are no longer able to perform smooth, good quallity tempo reps; it is time to terminate the set.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Coach Sommer said:

(...) don't engage in "grinding" reps. These are those slow, almost to failure reps which are particularly draining on the central nervous system. My recommendation is that when you are no longer able to perform smooth, good quallity tempo reps; it is time to terminate the set (...)

I've been at it for weeks...

--->> Recalibrating!

I burned out once too and cut back immediately. I now work on 3 days a week and I feel always ready to give it my all in either practice or F1.

Coach Sommer said:

- Dropping to 3 days per week is a good idea.

 

- Also don't engage in "grinding" reps.  These are those slow, almost to failure reps which are particularly draining on the central nervous system.  My recommendation is that when you are no longer able to perform smooth, good quallity tempo reps; it is time to terminate the set.

 

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I definitely think this is one of the most important comments on any thread regarding training.

It took a bit of a mental shift for me to stop trying to push that last rep, but the past few months have been much better because I stopped doing that last grind.

I am bigger, stronger, and I feel better than I can remember feeling in a long, long time.

Thank you all!

I will take the rest of the deload week off and see how it feels after that.

From then on I'll try 3 days per week and no more grinding, only quality work. This feels right to me, that is how I have trained before and will be easy to get back to, nice to have it in writing from the Coach that this is the way to go.

This is excellent information!

Please point me in the right direction if this has already been answered, but does this mean terminate the set completely once form and tempo are compromised?

I.e. terminate the PE set and move onto the iM.

Or is the preference to take a quick break and then finish the set?

CraigR said:

This is excellent information!

 

Please point me in the right direction if this has already been answered, but does this mean terminate the set completely once form and tempo are compromised?

 

I.e. terminate the PE set and move onto the iM.

 

Or is the preference to take a quick break and then finish the set?

Consider that set done with and do the iM.

Peekay said:

Consider that set done with and do the iM.

Cheers Peekay!

The last microcycle I switched it up and took the option of a short break and finished out the reps.  I definitely felt more beat down than normal by the time of the deload week.