Press ups deteriorating since I started

Hi guys, 

I'm having trouble with press ups, they've started to pretty much deteriorate since I started the program.  I've gone from being able to do 20 bodyweight dips with good form leg's together (i've been coached by some good people), multiple sets of 20 press ups with good shoulder position, and multiple sets of ring press ups, usually all in one session to now struggling with 5 sets of 10.  two months ago I was comfortably on 4 sets of 12, focusing on form and well paced reps - i thought let's play the slow game.  But literally ive just hit a wall.  I've always put a 1 minute rest between sets, so perhaps that's it.  But it wouldn't explain getting worse.

All i can think is that I'm overtraining.  I'm getting no deterioration in any other movement or exercise, progress in stretching, mobility and core strength.

I train PU twice a week.

I'm a PT, I worked hard, but I've always trained hard, always been a good listener to my body.  Some days, yes, you need to suck it up, can't be inspired everyday. 

today I did knee push ups on paralettes... tough! they used to be easy!

I'm wondering whether I just do pulling and pushing once a week... and replace it with a third handstand day?.... or may be keep it to two and literally start at the beginning again?  Super easy?  

I feel my core is stronger, my mobility better but 1st gear strength has really dropped.  It's difficult to work out how to train the sheer volume of skills required to progress. Is the pushup in GST more to satisfy the male ego, should I spend more time on another skill?

Swings, squat and pressing is pretty simple to program and easy to measure progress. Same with my marathon running, i'm more suited to endurance sports but love strength sports

Any thoughts or similar experiences i.e. got crapper at something they were good at?  How did people get through that issue? 

Don't get me wrong, I'm a convert to the system.  

I have had a similar experience. I used to be able to do multiple one arm chin ups, now I struggle on incline ring rows. Doesn't stop me training the prescribed exercises, sets and reps though. It just highlights to me that this type of training is a weakness. 

I am interested to see others/coaches responses. Hopefully theres some hints for people in our situation.

I'm wondering whether I ditch the extra upper body day and do another core day or buy the TB stretch... then when I'm working around the house or gym just bang out a set.

TB is good. Some high intensity rep work in there, not just static holds.

Hey Paul,

You went from a minute of rest to often much shorter, active rest periods. Comparing rep schemes with completely different rest period is not useful.

If you are not improving from week to week, you are most likely overdoing it. Consider taking a week off to let your body recover and reduce your upper body workout frequency when you return to training. Don't swap an upper body session for another workout. Just take it out and spend a month on the new schedule before considering another change.

Thanks Everett, I hadn't taken into account the active rest.  I certainly find that the IM challenges my recovery - suppose it's more like one long set rather than 5 separate sets and IMs. Currently, I have two handstands a week, (one paired with middle splits) one core, one lower body paired with front splits and two upper body.  I'll do that and let you know how it goes.  BTW what is the target weight with the Xiopengs?  I'm currently using 2.5kg is the target 5kg? will building to that weight to that level have any crossover?

2 hours ago, Paul Bassett said:

 BTW what is the target weight with the Xiopengs?  I'm currently using 2.5kg is the target 5kg? will building to that weight to that level have any crossover?

I've been told to keep the weight at 5lbs for mastery and raise it afterward.

Is it still the case coaches?

17 hours ago, Étienne Lajeunesse said:

Is it still the case coaches?

Yes, if you're doing these correctly then 5lbs should be plenty for mastery. 

Maybe consider dropping all training except for on the GB stuff. Especially the marathon running. Might be to much

If it is over training I would highly recommend taking time off and letting yourself recover properly. 

If you keep fighting through it will start to effect other areas of you life to. Trust me it's a downward spiral and it speeds up fast.

I suffered elbow injuries last year from past over training which put me out for 4 months, but now i'm thankful for it because it forced me to rest completely and now I feel like a different person and training has improved so much.

5 hours ago, Steve Parris said:

Maybe consider dropping all training except for on the GB stuff. Especially the marathon running. Might be to much

Hey there Steve, yeah just doing GB stuff for 4 months, marathon running finished a while back. focusing exclusively on strength

1 hour ago, Garry Barker said:

If it is over training I would highly recommend taking time off and letting yourself recover properly. 

If you keep fighting through it will start to effect other areas of you life to. Trust me it's a downward spiral and it speeds up fast.

I suffered elbow injuries last year from past over training which put me out for 4 months, but now i'm thankful for it because it forced me to rest completely and now I feel like a different person and training has improved so much.

Yes, I think that's it.  A culmination of long hours - 5.30 am until 9.30 three days a week and early mornings the other days and childcare, and running a business and trying to grow the business.  Its the exact same thing my clients go through, it's just you aren't often your best coach!

I tend to spread my work out rather than dropping a whole lot, especially when I'm busy. I get all of my workouts and rest days completed about every 8 or 9 days. I like that better than trying to cram everything into 7. 

On 1/11/2018 at 2:45 AM, Garry Barker said:

If it is over training I would highly recommend taking time off and letting yourself recover properly. 

 

Great advice. Recovery should run the show. 

20 hours ago, Everett Carroll said:

I tend to spread my work out rather than dropping a whole lot, especially when I'm busy. I get all of my workouts and rest days completed about every 8 or 9 days. I like that better than trying to cram everything into 7. 

Interesting, so for example you would have a constantly adapting weekly schedule -  like this:

Monday - core / HS

Tuesday - fs

Wednesday - hs/ms

Thursday - upper

Friday - legs/

Saturday - off

sunday - upper

Monday - Bridge

Tuesday - Core

Wednesday - FS

Thursday  - HS/MS

Friday - off

Saturday - upper

So your workouts are out of sync with the week, or do you just do what you feel liek doing as long as you cover all areas within 9 days (with rest)

I think because the scheduler is over 7 days, that is how I structure it.  

Yeah, you get it, Paul. I keep the same order and, because of the length of the rotation, don't do the same workout on the same day of the week. 

So removing the second upper body session has worked.  I feel my strength returning.  It seems my training was out stripping my recovery.  If I was unemployed I could probably do two foundation workouts a day and sleep it off.  Looking at my workload it's counter productive to add it in.  

I've made a mental shift to seeing the strength set and mobility as a two pieces of the same puzzle rather than to elements fighting for priority.  

Essentially it turns press ups into a different exercise.