Everything seems heavy

[warmachine7954]

Hello, Mr Rippetoe.

I went on vacation for a week about a week ago.

Before vacation my numbers were
squat-148 kg 3x5
press- 63 kg 3x5
Bench- 88 kg 3x5
deadlift- 190 kg 1x5
Power clean- learning @58 kg.
Body weight 137 kg

I didn't lift at all while on vacation just some light hiking and swimming.

When I got back I knew I wasn't gonna be able to start right back up with those numbers so I went conservative @ 136kg on the squat. It felt like it was gonna break me down. I went back in today and my warmups felt heavy and when I got to the work set of 138kg it felt real heavy. I did 2 reps, racked it tried pressing but just wanted ot leave. So I did.

Just 2 weeks ago these numbers weren't getting heavy until the last 1-2 reps on the last set.

I started Stronglifts in January 2009 and went for a few months making good progress, got bored did some other high rep stuff and had small nagging injuries and took time off. That time off turned into a little over a year of time off. I've been doing SS since June 2011.

Would it be wise for me to reset or move into the advanced novice program?

Thanks for your time.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think you did more swimming than you think. Swimming for fun DESTROYS progress in strength training. Back up, eat more, and start the numbers upward again.

[warmachine7954]

I'll remember next time I'm on a Pacific island to not even think about getting in that beautiful blue water. Is 20% too much to back up?

[Tamara Reynolds]

Would it be wise for me to reset or move into the advanced novice program?

It would be wise for you not to quit after 2 reps next time.

[Steve Hill]

Another thing people forget is how disruptive vacations are. We generally eat differently, drink more, sleep less and play harder. All of this has an effect, and it's not good for retaining strength that was hard-won with a consistent, regular program. We have a joke where I work about "coming back to work to rest up for the next vacation." It's cliché enough to be funny.

[Foobar40]

Out of curiosity, why is that? Is it just the amount of time the body isn't carrying the load against gravity? Would doing high-intensity interval training (which may not be "swimming for fun," I know) still have the same effect?

Not sure why I'm asking -- I hate swimming.

[Jacob I. Briskin]

Swimming for fun DESTROYS progress in strength training.

It scares me that I'm not completely sure whether this is sarcasm or not. Also, "Everything Seems Heavy" would be a great title for a new book.

[Stanimal5]

Any thoughts on why swimming would hinder one's progress like that?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I'll remember next time I'm on a Pacific island to not even think about getting in that beautiful blue water. Is 20% too much to back up?

I'm just sayin', there's a price to be paid for fun. But 20% is a little excessive. You don't have cancer.

Any thoughts on why swimming would hinder one's progress like that?

I don't really know, but I have noticed it for thirty years. I think it may be the severe glycogen depletion.

[mlentzner]

I think you did more swimming than you think. Swimming for fun DESTROYS progress in strength training. Back up, eat more, and start the numbers upward again.

I just noticed this on my last vacation. We went to a lake and I went for a swim. I thought I was just puttering around out there.

Later that evening I was horsing around with my wife and daughter and I tried to pick them up just to show everyone how strong I am. I've done it before - nobody likes it - but admittedly, I'm an ass. This time my arms went "nuttin' here" and I dropped them both in the dirt. Needless to say, this didn't go over very well.

It was shocking how smoked I was.