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Thread: All is not well... thoughts/advice please

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
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    Default All is not well... thoughts/advice please

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    Hello dear forum!

    I will take a risk of sounding like a whining bitch, and of writing a damn essay. Here goes!

    Started barbell training 20 of July
    190 cm tall, 70 kg body weight

    gained 10 kg (went up to 80 kg obviously) of body weight in less than 8 weeks
    All my lifts started at an empty olympic bar.
    Got them to (before the flu):
    squat 70 kg
    deadlift 70 kg (could do 1RM of 100 kg before training, probably more now)
    bench 35 kg
    OHP 35 kg
    Some may laugh at the relatively low weights but I don't care. In the future I will topple a car (even though it may be a small two-door Volkswagen)

    Now to my issue

    The 21 of september I got the flu and that weekend I lost 2 kg of the 10 hard gained kilogrames from the latest weeks. I also lost the motivation to train and my self discipline.
    I used to feel like I could crush a mountain or win the WSM after my workouts, I really felt powerful afterwards, but now I feel spent and demoralized after I have been to the gym. My form in squat and OHP have deteriorated and I can't get it right. Perhaps I should have lowered the weights a few kg instead of just "not increasing" after the flu.
    Today, a month after (I'm back at 80 kg of bw), I have lowered the squat weight from 82.5 kg to 70 kg to work on my form, and it felt a lot better than before but it feels kind of bad to lower the weight. Anyway, here is a video of me doing squats with the lowered weight, please tell me of my form and any wrongs I do.
    Link here: http://youtu.be/vUjjA5HkkeI

    I also need advice on how I can regain my motivation and discipline. I have missed a few friday sessions the last month due to the lack of both the above and I know it isn't good.

    Thanks in advance
    F

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
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    Germany
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    Default

    I just got out of a heavy flu and the strength is just coming back slowly 2 weeks after I got better. Setting your weights back a little was a smart move. A few weakened weeks are nothing in the long run.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    Sydney Australia
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    Default

    Get the book. Get shoes. Do NOT walk backwards to rack the bar.

  4. #4
    Brodie Butland is offline Starting Strength Coach
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    Join Date
    May 2011
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    You might benefit from ramping sets to get to your former weights faster, then you can begin LP anew from there. Take a look at my log (SS log) and Wolf's (Competitive Lifter Log) to see examples of ramping sets in action. (Disclosure: Wolf is the one who gave me the idea, so I can't take credit for it.)

    Wolf is probably closer to your situation, since he had a 2 week layoff with illness. I had just a couple week layoff with bad sleeping and eating. But in both of our cases, ramping sets got us to our former working weights much faster than dropping the weight and starting 3x5 LP from the reduced weight.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Just be patient. I just got off a 2 month layoff from moving homes and getting sick and it's completely brutal. Did 3 sets of 5 @ 135lb last week and I just stopped being sore today, couldn't believe it.

    Anyways, you really look like you'd benefit from some proper lifting shoes. You have a bit of an unstable look and I think a firm connection to the ground would really help you.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
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    Sweden
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    starting strength coach development program
    So, got the book a few weeks back. Need to get shoes, I really see what you mean with that shakiness now that I look closer at the video. I also think of getting some chalk, to benefit better from the "squeez" in OHP. The tip about ramped sets seems really good, so todays session will be ramped sets. For the record, I have really tried to stuff myself with food these last few days. And also gotten to bed earlier. I hope this will count for something.

    Thanks for being here when a newb needs advice.

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