Fried CNS?

[tavccp]

Hi Andy,

After my SSLP run I keep stalling due to lack of recovery. Months ago I asked about you about bad sleep etc... After having tried every fucking thing to fix my sleep, every cycle starts well but then suddenly, after many weeks of steady progress I hit a wall very hard. This last time I didn't miss a single rep in the last 6 Week. Sleep is still bad but this week i didn't sleep at all 2 days. I sleep bad in all squat and deads day, so that makes me think my CNS is fried

I was doing 4 day split, everyday was Heavy but PRing all lifts every week.. well i'll not tell how stupid I was, rather i'd like to ask:

1) Is this possible to have the CNS fried from a week to another, I mean 6 weeks went well plus the lack of sleep of the weekend and BOOM CNS fried, bad workouts, 0 sleep?

2) A deload week, for next week, like the week 12 in GGW and then restarting a cycle of H/L 4 day 5x5 for Heavies and 3x5 for light for a couple of months, then deload, test 1RM and change to periodized program seems reasonable?

3) I'd run GGW after this HL but I really want to do 4 Day Split and less frequency in the squat is helping me to get rid of hips pain, i'm thinking if KSC powerlifting is a good choice or if it's too stressful,it is "similarly structured as TM" (is it a TM?) which makes me think it is maybe too stressful, "but easier to recover" that's because it is a periodized program, and the stress varies from week to week like GGW? I'm also considering the program for 40+ because I read it's a 3 week cycle, so maybe progress may be faster?

Maybe some information would help
24, 205lbs willing to get 225 slowly, 6.1 feet
goals are get stronger and gain weight

Thanks Andy, I hope this isn't too much to you respond

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

There is a difference between frying your CNS from training, and having your CNS go all to shit because you literally aren't sleeping. If you aren't sleeping you cannot do any sort of program that progresses daily or weekly. You won't be able to consistently base this week off last week for example because your sleep pattern is too much of a variable.

You need something that is completely autoregulated. I'd recommend training heavy two days per week, once upper, once lower. On your upper days, go in and hit a top single on the Bench Press or the Press (alternate weekly) just to see where you are at. Then back off to 90% and hit a set of 2-4 reps, then back off to 80% and hit like 3 sets of 4-8 reps. Then do some light version of the other lift and whatever assistance you want. Do the same thing with squats and deads. You can also use variations of the bench, press, squat, or deadlift.

Have you tried 5:00 am cardio for 1 hour, every day? I've given this to many of my clients with supposed "insomnia" and it works like a charm.

[tavccp]

There is a difference between frying your CNS from training, and having your CNS go all to shit because you literally aren't sleeping. If you aren't sleeping you cannot do any sort of program that progresses daily or weekly. You won't be able to consistently base this week off last week for example because your sleep pattern is too much of a variable.

You need something that is completely autoregulated. I'd recommend training heavy two days per week, once upper, once lower. On your upper days, go in and hit a top single on the Bench Press or the Press (alternate weekly) just to see where you are at. Then back off to 90% and hit a set of 2-4 reps, then back off to 80% and hit like 3 sets of 4-8 reps. Then do some light version of the other lift and whatever assistance you want. Do the same thing with squats and deads. You can also use variations of the bench, press, squat, or deadlift.

Have you tried 5:00 am cardio for 1 hour, every day? I've given this to many of my clients with supposed "insomnia" and it works like a charm.

Thank you a lot for your detailed answer! My Sleep problems always come after the end of stressfull programs like LP, TM etc. The reps, sets that you gave me i'll give a break of those 5x5 grinding workouts.


Last questions:

1) When sleep is ok, would this same reps and sets work for a H/L, 4x week routine

2) Would you care to elaborate this cardio thing, just walk? I am following your inclined treadmill (and raising speed gradually) advice for conditioning, 20 minutes, 1x week

Thanks a lot Andy

[JLB105]

Have you tried 5:00 am cardio for 1 hour, every day? I've given this to many of my clients with supposed "insomnia" and it works like a charm.

I’d love to hear more about this. Is this in theory supposed to help reset your clock? Sounds interesting. Might be something that might help me as my sleep could use much needed improvement.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Thank you a lot for your detailed answer! My Sleep problems always come after the end of stressfull programs like LP, TM etc. The reps, sets that you gave me i'll give a break of those 5x5 grinding workouts.


Last questions:

1) When sleep is ok, would this same reps and sets work for a H/L, 4x week routine

2) Would you care to elaborate this cardio thing, just walk? I am following your inclined treadmill (and raising speed gradually) advice for conditioning, 20 minutes, 1x week

Thanks a lot Andy

1) In principle yes, but you'd need more variety in exercise selection

2) Hard steady state cardio (incline treadmill or resisted elliptical my faves) for 1 hour per day. 20 minutes 1 day per week really isn't making you tired. Lengthy hard cardio at 5am will get you to sleep at night. I promise. It works every time. You basically just need to make yourself more physically tired.

It works. I've had people to this that have been to sleep clinics, sleep studies, on all kinds of meds, silly diets, etc. Turns out they just need to do more and force their body to shut down at night.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I’d love to hear more about this. Is this in theory supposed to help reset your clock? Sounds interesting. Might be something that might help me as my sleep could use much needed improvement.

Try it for a few weeks. It works.

[Tom Campitelli]

It works. I've had people to this that have been to sleep clinics, sleep studies, on all kinds of meds, silly diets, etc. Turns out they just need to do more and force their body to shut down at night.

This is pretty cool. There might be an article in this.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Only problem is that it would be a very short article! I can't think of how I might extend it out to say much more than "Hey, do a shit load of really tiring work really early in the day and by 10pm you'll be out like a light!"

I haven't done any research into this from a physiological perspective as to why it might be working. But an article is still probably a good idea since I think it might help a lot of people.

[Daniel Cavallari]

Andy, what is your experience applying this to novices and subsequent recovery? I have some bouts of insomnia (it's 2am right now so... yeah) and, while it is not routine, it is common enough that I might give this a try.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Most of the time this is something I apply to novices because I'm prescribing it to new clients who come to work with me whose physical state is a big mess.

If you have serious issues that are affecting your physical and mental health then this takes priority over "doing the Novice Linear Progression."

Some of you guys treat the Novice LP like a Religion instead of what it is which is a valuable tool. The Novice LP is not appropriate in every single circumstance. *If you have serious insomnia you aren't going to get very far on the novice LP anyways so don't force the issue. Do what is necessary to get yourself fixed from a health standpoint and then we'll worry about the rest. I would still advice strength training, but structure and programming might have to be adjusted.