Stress/Recovery Help

[Aaron Layton]

I'm 30 years old. I'm 5 foot 7 inches tall and 195lbs. I sleep 7 hours per night. I eat 6 meals per day and between 3000 to 4000 calories.

I noticed that after turning 30, having kids and a stressful job that my strength has gone down. In my mid 20s I could bench in the mid to upper 200s, dead in mid to upper 300s and squat in the low to mid 300s. Now I'm 100 pounds less on all lifts.

The issue I keep running into is I get into the program and due to stress/reduced recovery capabilities I get injured (back tweaks and my left elbow gets stiff) or joint aches and pains hit so hard I have to reset. I've done massage (although I admit I can't do this more than once per month), chiropractic work and foam rolling.

Should I just gain more weight? I've considered that maybe my weekly/monthly lift weights go up too fast and don't allow for proper adaptation. Any thoughts? If I'm being soft and just need to push through just say that but I just feel I'm too young to have hit a wall/regressed so much.

[EdTice]

I'm 30 years old. I'm 5 foot 7 inches tall and 195lbs. I sleep 7 hours per night. I eat 6 meals per day and between 3000 to 4000 calories.

I noticed that after turning 30, having kids and a stressful job that my strength has gone down. In my mid 20s I could bench in the mid to upper 200s, dead in mid to upper 300s and squat in the low to mid 300s. Now I'm 100 pounds less on all lifts.

The issue I keep running into is I get into the program and due to stress/reduced recovery capabilities I get injured (back tweaks and my left elbow gets stiff) or joint aches and pains hit so hard I have to reset. I've done massage (although I admit I can't do this more than once per month), chiropractic work and foam rolling.

Should I just gain more weight? I've considered that maybe my weekly/monthly lift weights go up too fast and don't allow for proper adaptation. Any thoughts? If I'm being soft and just need to push through just say that but I just feel I'm too young to have hit a wall/regressed so much.

If you are getting injuries from those weights, I hate to be the one to say this, but your next step should be a visit with an SSC. There has to be some form creep somewhere or just something sloppy that you could get away with a decade ago and now can't. We're talking about a barbell that doesn't weigh much more than you do and you support your body weight all day!

[Robert Santana]

I'm 30 years old. I'm 5 foot 7 inches tall and 195lbs. I sleep 7 hours per night. I eat 6 meals per day and between 3000 to 4000 calories.

I noticed that after turning 30, having kids and a stressful job that my strength has gone down. In my mid 20s I could bench in the mid to upper 200s, dead in mid to upper 300s and squat in the low to mid 300s. Now I'm 100 pounds less on all lifts.

The issue I keep running into is I get into the program and due to stress/reduced recovery capabilities I get injured (back tweaks and my left elbow gets stiff) or joint aches and pains hit so hard I have to reset. I've done massage (although I admit I can't do this more than once per month), chiropractic work and foam rolling.

Should I just gain more weight? I've considered that maybe my weekly/monthly lift weights go up too fast and don't allow for proper adaptation. Any thoughts? If I'm being soft and just need to push through just say that but I just feel I'm too young to have hit a wall/regressed so much.

This sounds more like a technique/training problem than a nutrition problem although recovery can make these things more likely to happen. Post some videos so I can get my eyes on it.

[dalan]

I have to agree with the others. Ar 5'7", 195 you're plenty heavy to be lifting what you are, and much more. I'm interested to see what Robert has to say if you submit a video. Losing that much strength for no obvious reason at just 30 years old is odd, even if you are stressed. Is your diet pretty decent or is it 4000 cals of junk? Just brainstorming here, not accusing.

[tompaynter]

I'm 30 years old. I'm 5 foot 7 inches tall and 195lbs. I sleep 7 hours per night. I eat 6 meals per day and between 3000 to 4000 calories.

I noticed that after turning 30, having kids and a stressful job that my strength has gone down. In my mid 20s I could bench in the mid to upper 200s, dead in mid to upper 300s and squat in the low to mid 300s. Now I'm 100 pounds less on all lifts.

The issue I keep running into is I get into the program and due to stress/reduced recovery capabilities I get injured (back tweaks and my left elbow gets stiff) or joint aches and pains hit so hard I have to reset. I've done massage (although I admit I can't do this more than once per month), chiropractic work and foam rolling.

Should I just gain more weight? I've considered that maybe my weekly/monthly lift weights go up too fast and don't allow for proper adaptation. Any thoughts? If I'm being soft and just need to push through just say that but I just feel I'm too young to have hit a wall/regressed so much.

I don't have a global solution for you, but I suggest that if you are using a mixed grip on the deadlift, that you switch to a hook grip. I find that I don't get the back tweaks I used to get using a mixed grip now that I hook grip. I think the slight rotational force that comes with the mixed grip was a problem for me. And your elbow pain might be related as well, since it is unilateral. Hook grip hurts at first but once my thumbs got used to it I much prefer it.

[Aaron Layton]

This sounds more like a technique/training problem than a nutrition problem although recovery can make these things more likely to happen. Post some videos so I can get my eyes on it.

Thanks for replying to my question. I've since joined on with a ssc. Pretty much my form was awful. I don't know how I got away with it for 15 years. I still can't lift much but they've got me on an LP

[Robert Santana]

Glad to hear it. You'll be good for now. A miracle many of us didn't fuck ourselves up before finding this material. The human body is resilient.

[IntheBigTime]

Yeah, I'm approaching 30 and don't really have any joint issues or anything. I still feel great. Good sleep and nutrition helps I think! For years I've been trying to stick to organic food for the micronutrients and for the absence of weird chemical junk that probably chips away at your body, so to speak.

[Robert Santana]

Keep working on your technique with your coach. Much of this will sort itself out as you get stronger.