View Full Version : I knew it would be an off day
Everybody has off days. I had one today.
Sometimes it's a surprise when you get to the gym and you just can't lift what you want to lift. But sometimes you know it's coming. Does anybody else know that they're going to have an off day before they leave the house?
I knew my muscles and joints felt off. I know I wouldn't be able to squeeze like I should. I knew I'd be lifting less weight than the week before. I knew before I left the house that I would have a bad workout.
I'm not really tired or in need of rest. Hell, I got a better night's sleep last night than I have in a long time. And I took last night off in order to get that sleep. I didn't want to take two nights off in a row, so I went to the gym tonight knowing it would be a sub-par workout. My mind was in it. My muscles just didn't want to play along.
I guess the real question is: would you have gone to the gym? Or would you rather take another day off than have a low quality workout?
everyone has them dont worry just learn from it.
there could be a number of reasons not just being tired, but food, stress, your nervous system, all sorts of things can play a role.
we are human...just dont let it happen again !!
Sometimes I feel this way, hell everyone does. I take control. If I feel like shit, I eat more. I get myself so full of nutrients that my body responds by getting back in the zone. This may not be an option if you are cutting, but if not give it a go. You felt bad yesterday, now start slamming an extra couple eggs and sweet potato in every meal today. Even a few extra boals of cereal with milk. When you get to the gym, warm up properly. Take a good 10 min to raise your body temperature by doing calenesthetics (pushups etc.) and drink a lot of water. These are a few of the things that help me in similar situations. As my life revolves around my training, I can't afford to have an "off" day, I will just end up going back to the gym when I should be sleeping. I hope you have a better day today.
simpleguy
11-06-07, 7:46 am
you said you did get enough rest and food... are you sure? I experienced what you did but usually it was because I didn't get enough sleep the other night (sometimes you need up to 9-10 hrs of sleep a night, depending on stress levels, general activity, and the damage that your muscles got from your workouts), or because I didn't get enough food in... still, I guess sometimes shit happens, but by getting enough rest and eating properly you can make sure it would be a rare case
Hey man I had one just last week. Coming off a great, restful weekend and couldnt wait to hit chest on Monday. Thought it was gonna be my best workout in a while. Fired up on the walk to the gym- but something didnt seem right. Kept the music blaring and started up. Incline bench...did 3 sets adn all of them felt heavier than they did the week prior. My fourth set was 275. I had gotten it 5 times last week and this day only got it once. I was pissed- but even after that set I knew I had to continue on. Dumbbell flat was the same story. Flyes too. Overall, what I thought was going to be an amazing day- a day I was looking forward to- ended up being my worst workout in about a year. Everyone has these days, who knows why they happen. Maybe its physiological, maybe stress, maybe your body just says fuck you Im tired whatever. But even on the off days, I think you still have to go to battle with the weights- actually I think its more important to go ON the off days because its whats going to seperate you from your competition. Its going to show you what you are really made of. So keep at it and know that you are not alone wiht this shit. Happens to all us (I bet even the pros on here will admit to "off days").
If you continue to have these type of days, its time for a week off. Give your body a full week of rest. Listen to your body man.
Everyone has off days, I get them too. I just head to the gym and give 100%. Even if I cant lift as much as before, I still give everything I have. Thats the key, give everything you can give, and you'll get more back in return.
It happens, like you say, arrive at the gym feeling mentally pumped even before the first rep & at some point early in the session it's like a light switched off. You're thinking 'This sucks' and you feel frustrated and angry.
If you know it isn't a physical thing such as lack of rest or feeling sick, your best bet is to tell yourself to 'cool it, calm down' salvage the iron session with some moderate weights, different lifts, rep speeds and don't beat yourself up because things didn't go as planned.
The iron ain't a sprint or even a marathon; it's for life.
My 1c
invictus1
11-06-07, 11:05 am
off days are just part of the game, but they're also a time of opportunity. you learn a lot about yourself, when you go in on a day that you feel "off". it's those days that carve the real animals out of each and every one of us. what you do, how you keep fighting it, and what you become in those dark, cold trenches that will make you a stronger animal tomorrow. im not alone when i say that you can potentially get more out of these workouts than you do your "good ones". from the physical developement to (and more importantly) the mental development you will grow more in these tough times than any other. i have seen on numerous occassions the true animal, restless at heart and in his soul, put down his head and bite down forcing themselves through the workout and reap the rewards of it later.
personally, as im sure most of the animals on here do, i love to lift hard and heavy. when that off day comes around i change up my mind set and keep going. i keep my weight modest and start repping it out, focusing on perfect form, extremely high repetitions and lift till my eyes glaze over from the burn. its that burn that i look for, that i seek, to set ablaze my soul again for the next day.
Grantski
11-06-07, 12:29 pm
Sometimes you gotta take a step back to take two steps forward. Live, learn and lift.
Pizzalamp
11-06-07, 8:07 pm
its weird guys
sometimes ill be psyched up all day for my workout and them wham i feel like shit in the gym
or ill feel like crap all day expect a bad workout and then bam a great workout
but on the days where i really feel like crap i just skip it cause i know i really need the rest
off days are just part of the game, but they're also a time of opportunity. you learn a lot about yourself, when you go in on a day that you feel "off". it's those days that carve the real animals out of each and every one of us. what you do, how you keep fighting it, and what you become in those dark, cold trenches that will make you a stronger animal tomorrow. im not alone when i say that you can potentially get more out of these workouts than you do your "good ones". from the physical developement to (and more importantly) the mental development you will grow more in these tough times than any other. i have seen on numerous occassions the true animal, restless at heart and in his soul, put down his head and bite down forcing themselves through the workout and reap the rewards of it later.
personally, as im sure most of the animals on here do, i love to lift hard and heavy. when that off day comes around i change up my mind set and keep going. i keep my weight modest and start repping it out, focusing on perfect form, extremely high repetitions and lift till my eyes glaze over from the burn. its that burn that i look for, that i seek, to set ablaze my soul again for the next day.You're right on target man. How we respond to these "off days" can tell us a lot about ourselves and help us to become stronger mentally and physically. I had an "off day" today. I had to drop the weight on my rack pulls a fucking 75lbs but i did a higher rep scheme and ended up with a decent workout. I gotta remember, and maybe we all do, that it's not a single exercise or workout that makes us but a cumulation of effort over time.
Keep busting it.
LegendKillerJosh
11-06-07, 10:01 pm
Everybody has off days. I had one today.
Sometimes it's a surprise when you get to the gym and you just can't lift what you want to lift. But sometimes you know it's coming. Does anybody else know that they're going to have an off day before they leave the house?
I knew my muscles and joints felt off. I know I wouldn't be able to squeeze like I should. I knew I'd be lifting less weight than the week before. I knew before I left the house that I would have a bad workout.
I'm not really tired or in need of rest. Hell, I got a better night's sleep last night than I have in a long time. And I took last night off in order to get that sleep. I didn't want to take two nights off in a row, so I went to the gym tonight knowing it would be a sub-par workout. My mind was in it. My muscles just didn't want to play along.
I guess the real question is: would you have gone to the gym? Or would you rather take another day off than have a low quality workout?
I would take a day off if not "feeling it." an extra day of rest doesn't hurt...a shitty workout doesn't help. You need to figure out why you felt it was going to be a bad workout and fix it. That doesn't happen to me anymore. My routine and supps are just so sound right now I'm always ready to lift more than before, everything is in check so it's impossible not to.
Every time i thought i was going to have an off day it hit PR's, and every day i consider not going i have the best workouts.
Well, I think I figured out the reason.
I woke up today with a hardcore cold! I'm achy and my throat hurts, and my nose is dripping like a mother.
I guess it's just that time of year. Dammit. Bring on the NyQuil!
Well, I think I figured out the reason.
I woke up today with a hardcore cold! I'm achy and my throat hurts, and my nose is dripping like a mother.
I guess it's just that time of year. Dammit. Bring on the NyQuil!
Avoid cold medications with pain killers like ibuprofin. They interfere with neuromuscular signals and recovery.
Well, I think I figured out the reason.
I woke up today with a hardcore cold! I'm achy and my throat hurts, and my nose is dripping like a mother.
I guess it's just that time of year. Dammit. Bring on the NyQuil!
Me too. I stayed home today, feel like I might be getting the flu. I'm trying to rest and hopefully it won't last long.
Peace.
If I'm really sick I stay out, but I try and go in if I can stumble in there.... struggle through it... I figure that there are people taking that day off... so if I get in there then I'm getting that extra shot. nothing to it but to do it.
Testpolska
11-07-07, 10:16 pm
Theres your mistake right there. Telling youself your going to have a shitty session before you even get at the iron. Having a shitty session? Gut it out.