What is going on with my strength?

Recently I completed a military selection. Before the selection i managed to bang out 17 pull-ups and my overall strength was quite good. Now, 2 weeks after, I find it hard to do 3!! pullups, and I feel SUPERweak. What the hell is going on? Will I get my strength back?

I dropped about 8kg of my weight under the selection, but that is back now...

It sounds like a classic case of insufficient recovery. What was the nature of the selection? Was the stress primarily physical, mental or both?

It is important to not discount the mentral stress and adrenal fatigue associated with high level events where a premium is placed on attaining excellance. Even though physically the event may not have been especially physicaly demanding in comparison with your normal workout base; it is not unusual for the body to require 2-3 weeks to partially recover. During this time it is helpful to maintain light workouts in order to keep the blood moving, but nothing especially challenging or difficult should be scheduled. Let how your body feels be your guide in designing the workouts during this time frame.

Note that the recovery period AFTER an event is equally as important as the intense preparation period prior to the event. It is the proper use of this recovery period that helps set the body and mind up to excel during the next competitive cycle. For example, Allan's workouts during the two week period following Visa Championships were extremely light. In fact the first four days of that two week period were complete rest. The third and fourth weeks progressed to a more moderate tempo (requiring a change of mental gears for him, a common athlete error here is to mistake complacency in training for fatigue) and now about 5 weeks after the event I am expecting Allan to train at 100%.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Interesting reading as always Coach!

Whats your theory about the amount of training the week before a Major event? Would you reduce strenght training?

For example: If I´ve been working on my static skills for about 8-12 weeks and I want to make a new max would you go on as always or reduce strenght training the week before?

Coach Sommer said:

It sounds like a classic case of insufficient recovery. What was the nature of the selection? Was the stress primarily physical, mental or both?

It is important to not discount the mentral stress and adrenal fatigue associated with high level events where a premium is placed on attaining excellance. Even though physically the event may not have been especially physicaly demanding in comparison with your normal workout base; it is not unusual for the body to require 2-3 weeks to partially recover. During this time it is helpful to maintain light workouts in order to keep the blood moving, but nothing especially challenging or difficult should be scheduled. Let how your body feels be your guide in designing the workouts during this time frame.

Note that the recovery period AFTER an event is equally as important as the intense preparation period prior to the event. It is the proper use of this recovery period that helps set the body and mind up to excel during the next competitive cycle. For example, Allan's workouts during the two week period following Visa Championships were extremely light. In fact the first four days of that two week period were complete rest. The third and fourth weeks progressed to a more moderate tempo (requiring a change of mental gears for him, a common athlete error here is to mistake complacency in training for fatigue) and now about 5 weeks after the event I am expecting Allan to train at 100%.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Thanks for such a good answer! The stress was both physical and mental. Sounds like you're right about insufficient recovery. Haven't done anything else other than lying out on my coach, but that's because I simply didn't had the energy to do something else. I was feeling really sick until now, maybe fever.

I'm really looking forward to start up with WODs again, but it will definitely be a psychically throwback.

Again, thanks for your answer. It is very appreciated!

Tryed out some strength work today, and quite honestly, it suced. Couldn't do a single muscleup, l-sit was horrible and front lever was impossible.

I have never been so weak before. Is my strength lost forever? DoIneed to start all over, or would it come quickly?

Your decrease in strength is too substantial for it to be simple lack of recovery. My recommendation would be to be checked out by your health care professional for a possible health related issue; e.g. mono.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

MathiasF said:

Tryed out some strength work today, and quite honestly, it suced. Couldn't do a single muscleup, l-sit was horrible and front lever was impossible.

I have never been so weak before. Is my strength lost forever? DoIneed to start all over, or would it come quickly?

I'm reading old posts and I'm left with this cliff hanger!  What happened - how did you eventually recover?  Would love to hear the rest of the story...

Hello Amir!

My strength increased quite quickly. The total stress was "over the top". My body was heavily "damaged" by not getting food, enough water and being in constant hard activity for 7 days. I looked awful, hehe

Anyway, the body is very adaptive. Haven´t trained for a while because of work, but i trained very well after the "episode", and after 1,4 year or so i could do one pullup with 60kg extra weight. I think i can manage to do the same now, trying to maintence my strength.

Amir Giles said:

I'm reading old posts and I'm left with this cliff hanger!  What happened - how did you eventually recover?  Would love to hear the rest of the story...