Q About Overtraining on 5x5

[u418936]

I've been doing the Starr 5x5 since November, and it's been working really well. The only modification I've made is doing GMs twice a week.

For the last month, I've felt fatigued, my lifts have been getting weaker, and I've been losing weight. I thought I was overtrained, so I reset the program with my new 5-rep maxes. In the second week of the new program (which should be easy), I'm already missing some of my lifts. Yesterday, I even missed on my third set of deadlifts, which was about 150 lbs less than my 5-rep max.

What's going on? Should I take a couple of weeks off from lifting? I was thinking of doing some cardio for two weeks to get less fat.

 

[Kabeetz]

I wouldnt do cardio only for two weeks, your body will only feed on the muscle you've built. I do think taking a couple weeks off might be a good idea. You might want to make adjustments to your lifting schedule... following the 5x5 template for a year, even with adjustments, might not always be the best route for productivity. Might wanna mix it up for a bit. Of course if u're still adding weight to the bar, that is the only thing that counts.

 

[oso0960]

it'd probably be better not to take even a week off because you'll regress and have to get back into the groove. have you ever had any back off periods? not just reseting over and over but cutting your volume back? for example, instead of 5x5, stick to 3x3 and stay at the same weight. you keep the intensity high which keeps your neural pathways great but the volume low so your body can jump out of the overtraining/overreaching area.

 

[gentoo]

Can you really regress that much after just a week off? I never knew that.

 

[fortunatesun]

I think Kabeetz is right about following the same program for over a year. It's not just muscular. It can exhausting to your central nervous system and pychologically as well.
Take a break by trying something new- power or olympic lifting, HST, DC, old school- anything that will stimulate your burned out senses and let your muscle enjoy the full range of possibilities instead of making them do the same ol', same ol'.

 

[oso0960]

Can you really regress that much after just a week off? I never knew that.

well one week probably wouldn't do too much but i seriously doubt it's absolutely necessary to take a whole week off unless you're already an advanced athlete. i think most would benefit greater if they kept the intensity high but dropped the volume to make sure they keep those neural pathways active.

 

[u418936]

Thanks all. I might try a couple of cycles of HST.

 

[fallingeggs]

in addition to the above posts, check to make sure that you are eating enough.