Sick and Weak but Pushing

by **Noexit** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:39 am

This might ought to be in my training log, but I want a separate discussion. Today was my regular gym day but I've got a cold and I've felt pretty drained and wimpy all day long. But today was gym day so I went, no slacking off or whining. I'm doing the 5x5 and here's what happened to me today:

Planned
Squat 5x5x130lbs
OH Press 5x5x70
Deadlift 1x5x180
Pull-ups 3xF

Actually did
Squat 1x5x90lbs, 1x5x120lbs, 3x5x130
OH Press 2x5x50, 1x3x70, 1x3x60, 1x5x50
Deadlift completed
Pull-ups didn't even try

Usually I do a warmup set of squat and OH, but today let the 1st of the squat count, tried the 120 and felt ok to do the 130. The OH I was just exhausted for before I even started, hence the massive failure. Deadlift was ok, but by the time I was done with that I didn't even want to try pullups.

My question is, what's the best way to handle this situation? Should I have just skipped the training altogether and picked up the next scheduled day? I didn't really feel sick enough to scratch completely, but I'm not sure that such a mess did me that much good anyway. Should I have trained, but just used weights that I knew I could do complete sets with? What's the best thing to do? Mehdi's recent post about staying on track regardless of what else is going on is part of what got me there today, knowing that slacking once will lead to slacking again. But still, I'm not sure I did the best thing after all.

by **paul** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:14 am

what you did was fine. 2 weeks ago i was sick too and is still went to the gym. horrible cough and i could hardly talk and had a headache. dont let anything hold u back, ever. if u can physically lift the weight, then do it. if u feel that shitty during ur workout and cant do wat u planned, then just do the exercises u planned but dont force urself to do the weight u planned and hurt urself. do wat challenges urself instead. maybe just more reps with less weight. as long as u get to the gym and train, even if its a little less intense, it wont hurt u THAT much.

and much respect to u for still going and pushing urself to get stronger

by **Eddie** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:49 pm

I do agree, but if you do really feel sick then i would go to the gym and have a light day. Deload the weights by 20% on all excersises. This mean that you will be able to complete all sets and reps, On the next work go back to that weight you should have been on. Some may say thats just a waste of time, but your not loosing out either. Personaly if you dont feel stong enough to finish all sets, then do them all on a lower weight means when you feel better you can start pumping again, plus if you carry on when your not well you will hit your sticking point sooner.

by **Noexit** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:56 pm

Thanks guys. So I go back to the gym Thursday. I'll be feeling better then and I'll do what I had planned to do Tuesday so that I can get back on track.

by **Mehdi** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:05 am

Ok I'm late on this.
Think rationally. If you did 5x5 125lbs last time, and those were easy, why do you struggle with 130lbs? It's only 5lbs more. Second thing: you did 3 sets of 5 reps. Why 3 sets of 5 reps, why not 2 more? If the previous workout of 5x5 125lbs was heavy (you struggled to finish reps), then you could have missed reps in the 130lbs workout. However you wouls still have 5 sets with 130lbs, but with missed reps in several sets.
Take this as constructive feedback, not critique: there's an easy way out for anything. Often it's your mind playing tricks on you. You've got to "dominate" your mind, by going for it no matter what. Then you'll start to notice, that you're strong even if you a) didn't eat enough b) didn't sleep enough c)don't feel like it d)whatever else. You've got to do it several times, over & over, to know it.
This quote comes from "The Stellar Man" by John Baines: I am willpower.

by **Noexit** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:12 pm

Well, really, that's what I was asking. I guess I should better phrase my question.

Which would have been better, to do lighter weight and all the reps, or the heavier weight and maybe not all the reps? I would have preferred really to do the heavier weight, maybe fewer reps, and an extra set?
I totally understand what you're saying about the strength of the mind and I agree. But I had the same problem last night (still feeling sick) and I struggled pretty hard to do a lot less than what I would have liked to have done. For instance, I did a set of 5 Bench Press at 50 lbs to warm up, then stacked on 115 to start the 5x5; I got the first three reps, totally failed on the 4th and had to rack in the "safety peg". I stepped down to 110, barely managed 5 of that, said "f*ck it" and went to 100 for 3 sets of 5. Would I have been better off staying with the 115 doing maybe 3 reps and then and extra set or two? Because I'm trying to build strength I'd think that staying heavy is better?
At any rate I appreciate and accept your feed and even critique, or I wouldn't be posting here.

by **mrOyf** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:16 am

Inflammation of the heart is one of the most common reasons of death for male under 30. I sure don't want to play with my health. I wouldn't work out while I have fever or hungover. I didn't skip Christmas Eve, but working out while sick and weak is not for me

by **Mehdi** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:14 am

Noexit:
Well, really, that's what I was asking. I guess I should better phrase my question. Which would have been better, to do lighter weight and all the reps, or the heavier weight and maybe not all the reps? I would have preferred really to do the heavier weight, maybe fewer reps, and an extra set?
I totally understand what you're saying about the strength of the mind and I agree. But I had the same problem last night (still feeling sick) and I struggled pretty hard to do a lot less than what I would have liked to have done. For instance, I did a set of 5 Bench Press at 50 lbs to warm up, then stacked on 115 to start the 5x5; I got the first three reps, totally failed on the 4th and had to rack in the "safety peg". I stepped down to 110, barely managed 5 of that, said "f*ck it" and went to 100 for 3 sets of 5. Would I have been better off staying with the 115 doing maybe 3 reps and then and extra set or two? Because I'm trying to build strength I'd think that staying heavy is better?
At any rate I appreciate and accept your feed and even critique, or I wouldn't be posting here.

Better is to stick to the plan & go for the 5x5. If you don't get the 5x5, so be it. Try again the next time. But you need to increase the resistance every workout if you want to get stronger. Lowering the weight doesn't help (except when stalling for several workouts with the same weight).
You should have sticked to the 115, even if you only had 3 reps yes. Put some aggressivity into it, lift fast on the way up & put your mind into it. Also do something about the feeling sick. If it's not illness, it's probably sleep/nutrition.

by **Mehdi** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:15 am

mrOyf:
Inflammation of the heart is one of the most common reasons of death for male under 30. I sure don't want to play with my health. I wouldn't work out while I have fever or hungover. I didn't skip Christmas Eve, but working out while sick and weak is not for me

I worked out a lot on hungovers, 4h sleep, sinus infections, etc. I'm still alive. Don't limit yourself, you're tougher than you think. Only the flu is a valid excuse not to workout.

by **Noexit** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:41 pm

Thanks Mehdi. I'm getting back in the groove Tuesday. Sunday was a regular day for me, but I was pressed for time and frankly just felt like not going to the gym. Bad, I know, but I had used the off time for a mental checkup and I'm ready to get back in.
Sticking with the weight even if the rep count is low is what I'll do, just wasn't sure which was better.
Oh, and I'm well past 30, sitting on my ass and doing nothing is one of the most common reasons for dying for guys my age.

by **KIB** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:55 pm

You'll find your tempo, Noexit. Get used to closing the the circle of awareness. Even when you don't decide, you've made a decision and that decision will have consequences. If you remain aware of what the consequences are, then you can close the circle by allowing those consequences to influence the decision next time round. That's a convoluted way of saying that the decision not to work out is still a decision that affects how you feel about it next time you have to decide whether or not to go.
I turned 40 four months ago and can really empathise with your situation. It's hard not to know things at this age. It's hard to be a beginner again, but the alternatives are worse. Keep on it, man

by **jdurando** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:44 am

Very much the truth KIB -
NoExit - You know what you need to do to get your head back fully in the game, the most important thing is that you are in it doing something to better yourself.

by **icevermin** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:04 am

Do I have the wrong mentality? It's always been my philosophy that if you're physically not in it it's better to heal and rest than push yourself and end up in a worse condition than you started (and actually this started here when Mehdi and the rest urged me to not lift with the stitches freshly removed from my hand)...

by **Mehdi** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:29 pm

icevermin wrote:Do I have the wrong mentality? It's always been my philosophy that if you're physically not in it it's better to heal and rest than push yourself and end up in a worse condition than you started (and actually this started here when Mehdi and the rest urged me to not lift with the stitches freshly removed from my hand)...

There's a difference between having a cold and having the flu. There's a difference between having a broken wrist and cutting yourself in one finger while preparing dinner. It really depends. But as a general rule: for too many people underestimate what they are capable of. I like the "go to the gym, and find out there" approach.

In your situation, I think I'd be crazy enough to do zercher squats if I had stitches in one hand.

by **Bart** » Thu May 15, 2008 12:17 pm

Yesterday I did my workout with a bad cold too. I was exhausted after every set and really needed to peptalk myself into the next. This made me think I was harming myself a little. But after all it was not that bad a workout. Only the squats came out poor and I think I'm close to stalling on the Barbell Row.

I think working out when a but weak is not a bad thing, but working out with a fever is not done.