Fatigue ? Motivation ?

[Iron Disciple]

Hey guys ! Relatively new here ! And also an honor to be here with such prestigious lifters ! Seriously ! Here's my question though, guys ... and I hope this doesn't come out wrongly in any way. Do you guys ( the ones that compete, preferably ) ever feel like complete crap ... fatigued ... unmotivated while training for your comps ? For me, the last few weeks have been great ! I've been hitting PR's every week .. and even this week I've hit them ... yet, this week, I've felt particulary exhausted ... just felt like saying, " F*** it ! " ... although my heart's heart doesn't feel that way .... at all ! Hell, I love Powerlifting ... I love lifting heavy ass **** ( as I was a Strongman competitor before I turned to Powerlifting ) ... I've just been feeling really out of it lately ... just real out of synch this week for some reason ... perhaps it's because my sleep has been down this week, work has been a bit stressful as well , and eating has been tough to do lately, too ... I don't know. Maybe I'm just worrying too much ? At any rate, I apologize for the ranting and rambling ... I was just wondering if any of you guys share my sentiments ... and if you do ... what do you do to get out of it ? To get back on track ? Thanks for your guys's time and have a great day !


- Iron Disciple

[Tom Mutaffis]

Do you add in "deload" weeks into your training? Or cycle intensity?

It is easy to get burnt out if you have a demanding program and are constantly pushing new PR's.

Here is an article that I wrote on preparing yourself for a PR. It is also a good refresher for veterans who are looking to optimize their training (rest, CNS recovery, etc.) - So You Want to Hit a PR? (http://www.wannabebig.com/training/powerlifting-and-functional-strength-for-athletics/so-you-want-to-hit-a-pr/)

I would say that a week off might be the best thing for you right now, and maybe even trying something like buying some new wrist wraps, loading up different music on your ipod, or getting a day pass to a different gym.

[Iron Disciple]

Great article, sir ! Great article ! To answer your question ... yes, I do do a deload every few weeks or so. Thank god ! :) I appreciate your reply, sir.