Aches and Addiction to Lifting

[Jacked_Dad]

I know what I need to do, but need some support from the group.

I am addicted to lifting. Can't stand to miss a day. That's not the problem. The problem is that I'm acquiring aches and pains and am afraid I'm doing damage. The wrists are sore. I was doing weighted pull ups with a 45 lb plate about 2 weeks ago and I think I tore a lat (still hurts). Upper back strain on the side opposite the lat.

I know I need to take some time off. I was just so excited about a new sdrol cycle just in time for the summer.

Any over you ever in a similar physical situation? Advice?

Thanks in advance. Matt

[inm]

Internet advice for addiction? sounds like you need an intervention..

addictions are about control. Maybe this is the only thing you fell control over.

Find one of those "life coaches". you need some good advice by someone near that can pressure you to make it happen.

[inflated]

Actually I have the same problem if I miss one day I feel crappy about it. What is important is that you mix things up, change your program around and yes muscles grow when you rest so they need to rest. A day or two off once in a while is a good thing. Also make sure that you are eating healthy, it makes all the difference.

[Slevin]

rest rest rest man.

I'd love to be in there everyday, but I like it a lot better when I feel sore on my rest days, knowing I'm recovering and adding more muscle.


I go back after resting and feel 100% and tear up my lifts. You're just.. tearing yourself up lol.

[schwermarko]

Did you bruise in the area of the suspected tear? That is the general indicator of an actual tear.

Have you had someone help you release the facia in your forearms? If you don't train with someone who knows how you can get deep tissue massage to do this.

Are you iceing the sore spots after working out and do you foam roll or perform some other kind of SMR?

If you are doing all of these things and still have a problem then there is a serious issue.--Overtraining

If you are having sharp pains during a movement rather than delayed aches afterword then there is a problem and you should stop performing that movement. In the interest of full disclosure I have ignored this rule recently and am now headed for knee surgery.

If all of what I have said above sounds like gibberish, I would encourage you to learn more about recovery techniques, your lifting will advance, I swear.

In order to deal with my head on days when I can't train, I remind myself that my rest is an important part of developing as i need to. It may help to take the time for the gym and set it aside for one or more specific, intentional recovery techniques. eg. foam roll and take a nap, or go get a deep tissue massage, or take a contrast shower, etc.

Hope this helps

[Mdlftr]

I totally agree with all of the above.

My rotator cuff/shoulders are killing me at my rear delt insertions. My trainer has had me doing this exercise with a machine just for shoulders, and it's great, but I hurt like h*ll when raising my arms above parallel!

Rest and limited stretching are the way to go. Right now I'm recovering from a late spring infection of some sort, and my entire body felt like it was sore all over. I had to take advil just so my shoulders did not hurt when I was trying to sleep!

I'm planning to take next week off, then come back and get back into it, with good form! I hate being over the age when I can workout and bounce back in a few days, but, hey, at least I'm in shape and still growing when I lift!

Hang in there, it'll improve with rest and stretching, assuming no other injury!

Mdlftr

[manlion]

*raises hand* "Hi, I'm Alex, and I'm addicted to the gym..."

I'm totally kicking myself today. I dragged a buddy to the gym last night, and then we were over at his house, playing cards well into the night, finishing up at about 4AM. (I was also unfortunately allergic to his roomates' cat, so it kind knocked the wind out of me..) Rather than drive back home, I crashed at his place, (in his bed, which was fun) and then drove home today.

Unfortunately, I didn't sleep well at his place, and I crashed for a couple more hours when I got home, meaning by the time I was up and awake again, it was late enough in the day that by the time I got up, got showered, and headed to the gym, I'd only have been able to get half my workout in before they lamentably closed at 7pm.

So I skipped. And god I wish I could have just pushed myself back up when I was dead-tired and went to the gym anyway. It would have sucked, but I would've lifted.

I'm debating going to the gym early tomorrow morning instead. Sundays are usually my rest day.. I've gotta be done and home by about noon or 1pm.. Not so easy when I lift for 3+ hr segments and the gym is a 20 minute drive..

Ah well, at least this gives my elbows a rest between last night's chest/triceps day and the next session bicep/back day. (I've got elbow pain, might even be tennis elbow or something akin..) I've just gotta make sure I make the most of the time tomorrow morning.. Last day of my strength cycle before I do a de-load phase.

[wbhunk]

Hi Matt,

I hear you. For guys like ourselves that are driving like crazy to get big, missing a day seems like the end of the world. I'm as guilty as anyone for lifting when sick, when missing out on sleep, when injured, etc. -- and griping when I DON'T lift.

A bit of advice I got was to sit down and be honest why I was doing this -- make an informed decision, if you will. Mine went something like this:

"I'm afraid if I don't go, I'll lose ground and I don't want to lose ground."

"I'm afraid if I don't go, I'll stop going completely."

It all sort of rests around fear and not trusting yourself. So even though it sounds silly, you kinda have to tell yourself that you will take the time off and you will go back. Rest in small doses never hurts.

Best of luck to you. - Dan

[toby182]

First pf all, I may be posting this in the wrong thread, but I am seeking for advices, so please *claps hand together praying* from experienced lifters out there...

I am lifting 3 alternate days a week, i spread my routine to chest/back, arms/legs, and shoulders/squats/deadlifts. I push myself everytime at the gym, hoping to increase the plates every month, not sure if that's dreamy, but i push myself... especially on bench presses, my gym doesn't have a free bench, only smith machines. I like bench pressing, but i often find myself out of breathe. Sometimes on a good day i can feel them burning, sometimes, i just push to the limit, more and sometimes even less reps and don't feel the burn or anything. I started off with 88lbs (44kg) on this routine, then now I am pushing 132 (60kg) and sometimes 121 (50kg), but trying to stick with the most... and eventually doing 5-6 reps/set rather than 8 reps/set.

Secondly, I don't usually feel the sore the next day, but the day after. This is the biggest question for me, and I am seeking if anyone experienced the same thing. is there anything wrong I did, or it is just how my body reacts.

For my routine, if you'd like to understand more about what I do (otherwise just skip this)... I do 4 different workouts for each body part part, with 4 sets of 8-10 reps each. I usually try to max it on the last set maybe doing only 5-6 reps (that's when I'm done)

I hereby say thanks in advance to anyone who's willing to help out, and I may not be the only one who faces the same problem out there.

[inflated]

Soreness two days after is very common especially with the larger movements like bench press, or squats. It sounds like your main issue is with nutrition, are you getting a balanced diet? Because that may be the reason why you get fatigued easily during a workout. Good nutrition throughout the day should help and increase the weight on lifts gradually without sacrificing good form. There is nothing wrong with the smith machine especially if you do not have a spotter, but if your gym is not well equipped try to find one that is.

[toby182]

looks like i need to work on my nutrition, probably ran out of energy before i could do it again... thanks

[jclikestoplay]

That's a sign of addiction, man. Our muscles need to rest at least 24 hours for it to recover and this might have been said a billion times already, but our muscles grow when we are in between workouts.