Feeling defeated

[fnet]

Whithout repeating today's log entry, I'll try to cut get to the point.
http://www.startingstrength.com/reso...t=15633&page=3

I was all set to lift today. 300 LBS squats scheduled. I've done it before. Slept okay, ate okay, nothing out of the ordinary. Last trained on Wed. 295 LBS squats 3x5. Felt tight during warm-ups. Took my time. Last warm-up at 275 felt really heavy. I only managed 4 on my first workset of 300. My left elbow started hurting as its done many times before. 2nd set, I managed only 2! I racked the bar feeling really defeated. I couldn't go on with my workout. I was really surprised at how overwhelmed I felt. I couldn't go on. Has this ever happened to anybody else? I've felt beat up before and managed to power through. This just came out of the blue. Do I give it a go again tomorrow? Or do I let the aches and pains heal up and wait until Monday, which also happens to be my 45th birthday? As for gift suggestions, a Texas Power Bar, back extension or some milled 45's would be nice.

[Dastardly]

Whats your programming like right now?

If you are struggling to match weights from previous session perhaps it is time to incorporate a light day.

Apologies if you are doing this already.

[fnet]

Having reread my post, it sounds like I'm suffering from a raging case of Fibromangina. I lift alone, so I don't think one can catch it from sharing a tainted barbell.

[hatmanii]

I think you've come to the point where all of the accumulated fatigue has caught up to you. Sometimes this only requires a short rest period to remedy, sometimes a deload. I say give it a couple days, attempt the same weights and if you fail again, it's time for a deload. If you get the reps it might be time for an advanced novice progression.

[fnet]

Hey D, I've been doing a somewhat bastardized version of the Advanced Novice plan. My struggles usually come from recovery issues like lack of sleep, stress, bad diet or the cumulative effect of training. I was just surprised at how this seemingly came from nowhere. Weekend training days are usually my best days because I'm rested and ready to go. Maybe today was just an anomaly.

[fnet]

Thanks, Hatmanii. I'll give it another go on Monday.

[Tim Lofton]

If your training has been consistent for a fairly long period of time and progression has gone reasonably well, it may be a good time for a week of just warm-up and one work set sessions. Stacey/nisora33 recommended this to me a couple of weeks ago when I posted about feeling overtrained (poor sleep patterns, high resting heart rate, sluggish appetite). I did just that and felt great after. Coincidently, I was at the 295/300# mark. Consider it if Monday goes awry.

[william jackson]

listen to more rock and roll. your generation has the best music ever. maybe listening to more will trick your brain into thinking its younger and pump out more hormones.

jk
(but seriously, it couldnt hurt)

[ColoWayno]

No help here... just rambling thoughts...
I just restarted linear progression after moving to the TM too soon. I've added weight to my squats for each of the last 7 workouts. For some reason the last time I worked out I approached the bar with more apprehension than I've experienced before. I had done 3x5x275lbs and couldn't picture another 5lb jump. I ended up making a 2.5lb jump and got my reps but the effort is such that I think I'm scaring people around me, and me a little. (Went from 240 to 277.5 over this time frame).
Does the fact that I've never pushed myself hard enough to miss a squat rep mean I'm missing out on something? I'm close to that now. Somehow it seems like a bigger deal than missing a bench press rep (as long as there is a spotter) or an OH Press rep, or any of the others. Maybe it's the giant weight on my back, seems sort of reasonable. I'm not looking forward to it, and I may deload before going too much further.

[fnet]

Thanks for the input guys. Usually, I know going into the gym that I might struggle on a particular day. Yesterday, however, everything seemed perfectly fine. I couldn't wait to hit the iron. Perhaps my expectations were a bit high and I became discouraged after I struggled as opposed to when I feel a little beat-up and I work a little harder to get over the hump. I train alone and I don't miss a lot of the stupidity that goes on at a gym, but I miss some of the guys who would encourage me to get my ass back under the bar when it was needed.

@William, you may have hit on something. My tastes in music tend to be all over the map (jazz, folk, punk, indie). When it comes to training, however, I love hard rock classics...That stuff that takes me back and hits me like a shot of testosterone.