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> I initially started going to the gym cause I was into muscle girls (surprise!), and I hated being small and weak. > > But to be honest, lately I've had a complete lack of motivation and desire to work out. > > I've been going to the gym for 12 years. But only really took it seriously the last 2-3 years pre-covid, then during lockdowns I did bodyweight training at home, and went back to the gym right after things opened up, with a renewed sense of focus. > > But yea... That wore off. Yesterday when it came to mind that it's squat day at the gym I felt depressed and unmotivated. I went anyways. I got to my final, AMRAP set for squats, did 1 rep. Reracked the bar and left. > > I've never had an issue before. Sure some days I would half ass a workout, but I'd get through it. But these days it feels like a massive waste of my time.
Maybe I can help.
It honestly sounds a bit like burnout. It's clear you don't have issues with consistency, but what you're describing sounds like burnout, whether it's with your current routine or pushing too hard.
Maybe take a break from the weight room and try other things. I had a major injury where I couldn't lift heavy for awhile, so I used that period of time to focus on my conditioning and my engine. Did a lot of running, assault bike and rowing. Check out rock climbing, or a martial art, or even yoga!
If you have been training too hard and feel burned, it won't kill your fitness to take a full week or so off of training, and when you do that, ease back on your intensity or your load. Have you done a proper deload recently.
And it goes without saying, how is your life outside of the gym? Are you eating enough, getting enough sleep, doing enough mobility work?
Thanks.
Tbh... I think it's burnout from lack of progress. I'm doing Wendler's 531 as my routine and it has a deload week programmed into it, every 4 weeks (3 working weeks, 1 deload).
But yea... just annoyed/frustrated with lack of strength gains, even after getting everything else in order. Pre-covid I was working 2 jobs (full time + part time), smoking, drinking. And still hit the gym regularly. But I always plateaued, or really struggled to make gains on my bench in particular. Deadlifts and squats were easier.
Now though... I work only 1 job, so plenty of rest. Don't smoke, drink less, do cardio in the form of jump roping, some sprints too. But for the past year I kept hitting the same barrier on bench as always. And this time, I feel like My other lifts have been stagnating too.
Decided it's time to lose some weight via intermittent fasting, and my strength has been plummeting. I know it's normal to lose some strength while in a deficit but at this rate I'll be struggling to bench 135 soon lol. So yea... At the moment have very little desire to keep training and be stuck in that proverbial treadmill (pun intended) when it comes to progress, especially in December/January when I'd normally go back into a caloric surplus
Tbh... I think it's burnout from lack of progress. I'm doing Wendler's 531 as my routine and it has a deload week programmed into it, every 4 weeks (3 working weeks, 1 deload).
But yea... just annoyed/frustrated with lack of strength gains, even after getting everything else in order. Pre-covid I was working 2 jobs (full time + part time), smoking, drinking. And still hit the gym regularly. But I always plateaued, or really struggled to make gains on my bench in particular. Deadlifts and squats were easier.
Now though... I work only 1 job, so plenty of rest. Don't smoke, drink less, do cardio in the form of jump roping, some sprints too. But for the past year I kept hitting the same barrier on bench as always. And this time, I feel like My other lifts have been stagnating too.
Decided it's time to lose some weight via intermittent fasting, and my strength has been plummeting. I know it's normal to lose some strength while in a deficit but at this rate I'll be struggling to bench 135 soon lol. So yea... At the moment have very little desire to keep training and be stuck in that proverbial treadmill (pun intended) when it comes to progress, especially in December/January when I'd normally go back into a caloric surplus
I'm not really clear on what your goals are. Is this purely strength training? It sounded like (from your first comment) that you wanted size as well, since you "hated being small."
I do think it's great that you kicked the smoking habit and also drink less. That helps a lot, but to me that's pretty much common sense. My expertise ends there, since I'm not a personal trainer. I could speculate that you would need to actually eat more in order to grow (if that is your goal), and I think fasting is actually counter-intuitive to what you're trying to achieve. But I could be wrong. It depends again on what your goals are.
I'm not really clear on what your goals are. Is this purely strength training? It sounded like (from your first comment) that you wanted size as well, since you "hated being small."
I do think it's great that you kicked the smoking habit and also drink less. That helps a lot, but to me that's pretty much common sense. My expertise ends there, since I'm not a personal trainer. I could speculate that you would need to actually eat more in order to grow (if that is your goal), and I think fasting is actually counter-intuitive to what you're trying to achieve. But I could be wrong. It depends again on what your goals are.
Priority #1 was strength, then aesthetics/size.
I recently went over to IF,so now the goal is to get leaner. I feel like my belly grew a little too much lol. But for the past 14 months it's been strength. However, I haven't really been seeing progress in that. It's like there's a ceiling I can't break through, especially on upper body. Not too worried about lower body (that's never been a huge problem for me, even if squats and deadlifts have been somewhat plateauing lately)
As farmers, we don't ever have to resort to a gym...we get enough exercise---my wife and I---from routine tasks and chores round the farm. Have any of you shovelled four tonnes of manure in day? In the wood-cutting season, we routinely cut down dead trees from our forest, bring the sections hundreds of feet by hand and then load them onto the wagon pulled by one of our horses. There is a definite disjunct Urban vs Rural today. We are in our mid sixties and have been doing this for decades and will continue doing the same until we drop dead. My wife, for instance, can split wood for 8 hours. We don't require PED's...just proper nutrition and rest.
LOL! I can understand your dislike of manure but it's a fact of life round here and, it is amazing what a person can get used to over time. Mucking out is a great workout though.
Originally, I wanted to looked absolutely jacked and shredded so I could feel good about myself. But as the years have gone on I just have legitimately started to love exercise. I bike, I climb, I lift. I still want to look great, but I wouldn’t do it nearly as much as I do if I didn’t love it.
Health and Wellness: Many people train to improve their overall health and well-being. Regular exercise has been linked to numerous physical and mental health benefits, such as improved cardiovascular health, increased energy levels, stress reduction, and better sleep.
Strength and Performance: Some individuals are motivated by the desire to become stronger and more capable in their daily activities or in specific sports or physical challenges.
Aesthetics: For some, the goal is to improve their physical appearance and body composition, which may include building muscle, losing fat, or achieving a particular physique.
Stay in shape, promote healthy lifestyle to others, especially to my family. Aging gracefully is the goal, and at 41, I look damn good. Also staying active by playing sports, trying to keep up with the young guys on the b-ball court.
I just really love being in shape!
For most of my life I was just an average girl with an average body, but since I've started working out I feel more confident, I like myself more, and people definitely comment on it - which makes me feel good.
I do get some negative comments (especially from my mom), but in general the feedback is positive!
As a man I feel the same way. I didn’t have the genetics to be a bodybuilder so I concentrated on staying in shape. I didn’t want to mess with drugs or steroids. I think more people should be appreciative of your look and your goals. I think you look absolutely fantastic.
Get a more balanced physique… I’m in my forties and picked up road cycling again early on in the pandemic, which made me get lean again. Body fat lowest since I’ve been in my 20s. However, spending around 7k per year in the saddle also exposed my weak core and surprisingly weak calves when compared to quads and hamstrings.
Also need to get my lat to at least match the back of my wife lol
Im 21 and there are girls who are bigger than me and I would love to "even the playfield". Im atlethic on the skinny side now (I was hella skinny, could barely do 10 pushups and 1 pull up in march - now im doing 30 pushups and pushing 6 pull ups but made like 2 month break cuz of mental issues and now exams). The feeling of getting stronger and seeing my muscles show is addictive. After exams i will be able to exercise again in my room (basically dumbell curls, forearm curls and pushups mostly). And also if I want my girls to be a diamond, I need to be some diamond myself.
I am sexually addicted to big, hard, strong, muscular females. But I recocgnized that I am also attracted to my own muscle. I like to flex my biceps, my pecs or my inner thighs and glutes and touch them - but I am far away from being as strong and muscular like a physique fbb ...