Matt
Level 3 Valued Member
Over the past 8months say, I've been losing strength, which isn't funny. Today I got quite annoyed so thought I would finally ask if anyone has some suggestions/ideas.
Basically, I was doing a pretty intense 2yr strength workout (5x5 Deadlifts, partial squats, bench, clean and press, rows, weighted chins, weighted dips, abs basically) and tripled my prev. 1rep max for deadlift so decided to try and straighten out my core-muscular imbalance/asymmetry. Stopped all heavy lifting to let my muscles lose their tension so I could reset them so to speak. I spent about 6months on chop and lifts, and took up kayaking, 1hr a day for 6 days a week.
After that not really working as expected, I wanted to get back into strength training, but loved kayaking, and also thought I could re-invent my program and finally!! introduce kettlebells. Did that about 2months ago, along the lines of Easy Strength, with one day 5x5 deads, and weighted chins, then swings and goblets (only 20kg kbell, 10x10), single leg 24-32kg deadlift and weighted dips, another swings/goblet, and then a mix of all three (single leg deads, swings, goblets - with half the number of sets). Kept up the kayaking 1hour a day 6 days a week.
My strength has consistently gotten worse doing this. Recently I had 2 wks off to travel, and oddly lost weight/muscle which has made things a bit worse. I have gotten back into it now, with the same program (weight stabilised), but my strength has stayed on holidays I think, and now I am confused.
Ttoday I couldn't do a 5x5 which I once did as a deload week previously. Yet even pre-holiday, on Easy Strength my max volume capacity was about 70% of before and my 1rep max maybe 90% of my old. This is maybe to be expected. Yet my weighted chins is only 50% of before and a struggle.
Maybe my expectations are too high for Easy Strength. I would expect that 1hour of kayaking and the kettlebell routine I now do is much less intensive than my old strength program? That and Pavel's interesting suggestion in Beyond Building that according to Russian "folklore" you can't fatigue the lats (and for me kayaking, deadlifts and weighted chins are lat intensive). Plus strength as something learned, a skill - to lose it is contrary to that philosophy (which I fully believe).
One thing I would question about the philosophy of Easy Strength is that in practice it is not that simple - if a sport (kayaking) fatigues a minor muscle say (tricep insertion or forearms - felt that today doing deads and chins), then that weak link will make any deadlift or weighted chin or strength lift weak regardless of the set-rep combo. This is what I found today big time. Had to worm up my last rep for my deadlift 150kg - felt like a goose.
Anyway - I don't want to be negative about Easy Strength and apologise if I am coming across like that. Just want to get strong again. I guess understanding why I am losing strength can help understand how to get strong. Thanks if anyone has ideas.
Basically, I was doing a pretty intense 2yr strength workout (5x5 Deadlifts, partial squats, bench, clean and press, rows, weighted chins, weighted dips, abs basically) and tripled my prev. 1rep max for deadlift so decided to try and straighten out my core-muscular imbalance/asymmetry. Stopped all heavy lifting to let my muscles lose their tension so I could reset them so to speak. I spent about 6months on chop and lifts, and took up kayaking, 1hr a day for 6 days a week.
After that not really working as expected, I wanted to get back into strength training, but loved kayaking, and also thought I could re-invent my program and finally!! introduce kettlebells. Did that about 2months ago, along the lines of Easy Strength, with one day 5x5 deads, and weighted chins, then swings and goblets (only 20kg kbell, 10x10), single leg 24-32kg deadlift and weighted dips, another swings/goblet, and then a mix of all three (single leg deads, swings, goblets - with half the number of sets). Kept up the kayaking 1hour a day 6 days a week.
My strength has consistently gotten worse doing this. Recently I had 2 wks off to travel, and oddly lost weight/muscle which has made things a bit worse. I have gotten back into it now, with the same program (weight stabilised), but my strength has stayed on holidays I think, and now I am confused.
Ttoday I couldn't do a 5x5 which I once did as a deload week previously. Yet even pre-holiday, on Easy Strength my max volume capacity was about 70% of before and my 1rep max maybe 90% of my old. This is maybe to be expected. Yet my weighted chins is only 50% of before and a struggle.
Maybe my expectations are too high for Easy Strength. I would expect that 1hour of kayaking and the kettlebell routine I now do is much less intensive than my old strength program? That and Pavel's interesting suggestion in Beyond Building that according to Russian "folklore" you can't fatigue the lats (and for me kayaking, deadlifts and weighted chins are lat intensive). Plus strength as something learned, a skill - to lose it is contrary to that philosophy (which I fully believe).
One thing I would question about the philosophy of Easy Strength is that in practice it is not that simple - if a sport (kayaking) fatigues a minor muscle say (tricep insertion or forearms - felt that today doing deads and chins), then that weak link will make any deadlift or weighted chin or strength lift weak regardless of the set-rep combo. This is what I found today big time. Had to worm up my last rep for my deadlift 150kg - felt like a goose.
Anyway - I don't want to be negative about Easy Strength and apologise if I am coming across like that. Just want to get strong again. I guess understanding why I am losing strength can help understand how to get strong. Thanks if anyone has ideas.