The older I get, the more I dread lifting now and it absolutely fuking sucks. When I started lifting a little over a decade ago I loved it: the results in the mirror, the state of zen and euphoria you achieve at a certain point during the workout, the increase in strength gains - really just the entire process. Nowadays that’s more or less entirely gone and lifting has just become a chore which I don’t look forward to at all.

One big reason I attribute me falling out of love with lifting is the chronic injuries I’ve accumulated over the years. I powerlifted for about 5 years straight, and during that time I managed to fuk up:

Both shoulders (left one particularly bad)
Left knee
Right hip
Left elbow

Mainly all from overuse more or less. After what I self-diagnosed as a labrum tear in my left shoulder at the end of 2017 I had to give up the sport altogether because at that point I couldn’t do any of the barbell lifts without being in chronic pain.

I’ve taken significant amounts of time off (7 months at one point), completely restructured my training (eliminated barbell lifts almost entirely and other exercises which aggravate the injuries), done extensive PT work, but those injuries have all remained over the years. At this point it’s basically just a game of managing them and working around them. That is definitely one of the main reasons I’ve fallen out of love with lifting - I can’t train the way I want to (I loved the barbell lifts) and because I can’t train effectively the results I’m able to achieve are far from optimal.

After giving up on powerlifting my training became heavily DB and machine focused. While I couldn’t lift super heavy anymore, I was still able to do bodybuilding style training and get a good variety in between the various machines at the gym.

Now that gyms are shut down, I’m stuck with just DBs and some bands at home. I have an adjustable bench, and DB’s up to 70’s. I’ve created a training regime that’s not bad for what I’m limited to - but it just doesn’t excite me or stimulate me in the slightest. The whole ritual of going to the gym - getting there and knowing you have that hour blocked off so you’re gonna give it your all, seeing the good looking gym sloots, the gym friends, etc, is now completely gone. The only motivation I have left now is for health reasons (which is a great reason and more and more my focus as I get older), but it just doesn’t fire me up or inspire me at all.

I’ve gone with a 2 on 1 off split, and I find myself constantly skipping days and pushing workouts back to the point where I probably average 3-4 days/week on average. I’ll go like 2 weeks where I do 2 on 1 off then my motivation completely falls off, then I’ll average like 2 sessions a week for the following 2 weeks, rinse and repeat.

Compounding all this is age and the change in hormonal processes that unfortunately accompany it. I’m in my early 30’s now, and definitely just don’t have the same primal aggression or drive I did when I was younger. I have a strong suspicion certain essential male hormones have declined over the years - at least it certainly feels that way.

Anyways, just wanted to vent. I’m sure there are many here who are in similar situations and can relate with the frustrations of the current situation.

CLIFFS:
OP doesn’t really enjoy lifting anymore
OP lifting for over a decade
OP powerlifted for 5 years and fuked up his body
OP can’t train how he wants to anymore
OP frustrated by home workouts
OP getting older

/deardiary OP is a *******

Chest
Legs
Off
Shoulders
Back
Off

Chest/tris:
Incline DB press
DB floor press
Flat DB flyes
BFR Band tricep kickbacks (elbow can’t handle any tricep movements that aren’t a band or cable, and no access to cables right now)
Standing calf raises (optional)

Legs:
Banded bodyweight squats (used to get blood into my left knee - only way I can do any kind of quad exercise)
Rear foot elevated DB split squats
Banded DB RDL’s
Glute bridges
Lying leg raises (optional)

Shoulders:
Incline reverse DB flyes
Seated DB shoulder press
DB lateral raises
DB shrugs
Standing calf raises (optional)

Back/bis:
Seal shrugs
Seal DB rows
Seated band close grip rows
BFR DB Curls
Hammer Curls

Damn I don't know man.

Maybe try something completely different for a couple of years like olympic lifting to get re-invigorated?

Same here that’s why I switch over to calisthenics and my body feels much better not sure if I’ll go back to weights it’s a different type of strength to pull your own body

i feel tht

year no way my shoulders can handle any kind of olympic lifting lol

seeing u post tho - the topic of home gyms

I sold my house last summer and wanna buy a new house, but have put that on pause for the time being because of the crazy situation and not sure how or if that's gonna affect the housing market where I live

when I do buy my next house though I have fantasy's of building a nice home gym. One thing I had been able to do since quitting PLing is deadlift infrequently with little negative consequence. As long as I managed intensity/frequency/volume I could still DL like 1-2x/month on average when the gym was still open.

if/when I build a home gym my first purchases would be a nice power bar, 4-500 lbs plates for DLing once in awhile, a hammerstrength isolateral row, and a leg press. Having access to those pieces of equipment alone would give me a lot more motivation.

I keep telling myself "it will be different" once I get to that point. I guess only way to know is if/when it happens.it's pathetic, but my shoulders can't even handle pullups, and only pushups to a certain degree. pushups I can only really do with a narrower grip (standard or wider fuks my shoulder too much) and I have to use a rehband elbow sleeve. God my body is fuked.

feel you man, we seem to share similar experiences.... I finally decided to go through with surgery for both of my shoulder labrum tears and do not regret it one bit. sucks to sit back and do nothing for a few months but I think its what I needed to re spark my passion

Overuse is truly a bitch, and im willing to bet if you decide to pursue treatment for the shoulder issue and use the time off to rest your whole body adequately, you will return with a flame up your ass in no time. easier said than done however

Now if this knee would fck off...

If I was you I would try and just maintain what I'd built doing a 3 day full body. I think you'll regret it if you stop completely. Try and do exercises that don't aggravate your injuries too much although if your motivation has gone I know it will be difficult. I wish you all the best mate

10 years of anything youll get tired of it.

if youre in a relationship it doesnt help. i mostly lifted for hoes mirin. when i was in a relationship i noticed i kinda let go of lifting for a year. cause whatever

now im single again. got hoes mirin. they compliment my gains. it has motivated me

nothing will beat C4 days. taking that stuff. putting on opera music(i dont even like opera music) felt like neo in matrix and i could pause time. i used to goto bed early so i could wake up and lift again hehe

lift lighter and use better form. I was an idiot and injured several parts of my body lifting like a powerlifter. rarely max out these days

most of those guys end up with hip, back, knee replacements. not worth it


I still love lifting though. I started lifting cause I’m obsessed with exercise in general

I don't dread it but I have lost drive and motivation due to all the clown world antics lately with the virus.

I feel you. I went through short periods like that, but I was in the powerlifting mindset too for training. It's so close minded to stick to one type of training and I'm glad I got out of that mindset.

Watch josh bryant videos on youtube. Also watch Tom Haviland on josh bryants channel called operation tactical hypertrophy, and he's some 6'8 freak of nature that is shredded at 365lbs, and trains on his land with his horses and using farm equipment and self made weights.

There is so much to do with fitness, strength, and lifting. The big 3 is so limiting it's insane, and I did that for years loving it. But I'm 29 now and on to better things and new things. I can't wait until I by my own place in the spring and create a sick home gym once prices go down for weights too.

Although right now I have been doing nothing so I feel you. Lifted 10 times in July before my gym mandated masks, so haven't really lifted in 5 months. I have the desire to, but just not the get up and go to do it since I sold all my weights and home gym equipment last fall.

We all go through ruts man.

Glad I'm not the only one

No reason to. All gyms are cucked and weird. My gym that had almost no restrictions for 2 weeks, had maybe 5 people a day. It was awful. Plus I'm not lifting with a mask. That's retarded.

I'll just chill for now and let my body recover. All my joints are pain free now.

Sick of this insanity.

Been lifting for 11 years and don’t know those feels, I’m not not as hyped as I was 8yrs ago but I’ll continue to lift till the day I die

I'm in the same boat my dude, but I need to be doing SOME form of exercise if nothing else for general health. I'm getting tired of being glued to my couch every weekend from work.

I ordered some adjustable dumbbells and a pull up bar. Maybe I'll try to get up early and run in the morning before Satan drags his sack across the Vegas valley but I'm not counting on it.

Whenever I have felt that way, it was due to under recovery. I always went back to a simple, basic routine for a period of time. Then, went back to 'normal' BB training

Yup, everything hurts and I'm very limited in equipment at my chitty gym so there's not many options

All I really want is to be @12% and 225ish again, it's not like it's some unreasonable fantasy anymore but all the years of heavy lifting have broken me

One thing I do these days is almost never go below 10 reps, and if I do its with low RPE and 30 second rests so those become big rest paused sets

The other thing is to limit free weights to a minimum, last chest WO I inclined the 110s for 15 with a pause then the rest was all 20-30 rep sets on cables and machines

24 hour chitness closed all the good gyms here and only the planet fitness style ones are still open, they have maybe 4 hammer strength machines and the rest is hoist roc-it teeter tottering chit for retards

Yup I'm in the same boat. I have a jump rope and sand bags. I have this duffle bag that can hold up to 150lbs.

Really I've just been lazy. Plus it's 90s and humid as fuk by me so being outside is a death sentence. You're in vegas so you get it lmao.

You need to find a new goal. As I hit 30+ and started experiencing some of what you're describing. I discovered the reason I lift, the long term goal. Its to look good. Feel good. And be healthy. I don't need to obsess over a barbell PR. How much weight I'm lifting. The 'optimal' way to train. Obsess over a specific diet. Etc. I just want to look good. Feel good. And be healthy.


Surprisingly enough. With all the consistency over the years and muscle maturity. My physique looks better now then when I was younger.

As far as injuries and naggy pains. Do what you can to fix them. Massages. Anti inflammatory supps. Stretching. Don't do a movement if it hurts. Etc.

112F heatwave this weekend no thx Jeff. It's already in the 90's by 8AM. Fukk doing any kind of sprint work in that heat.

Yea that's insane. I feel bad for you guys. Luckily this week is a cool down for us so lower 80s. That won't be so bad. Maybe I'll start this week.

Maybe.

so true... on one hand im happy im addressing my injuries at the ripe age of 23 but on the other hand im pissed I have to as a result of getting too caught up in the high on PR chasing and legit overtraining like a turd. thankfully I am expected to make a full recovery from my shoulder surgeries, in fact my PT wants me to get back into powerlifting.... however like you stated I have learned the values of feeling healthy while looking good and will likely pursue higher rep sets with emphasis on form perfection in the future

being out of commission for months really forces you to see these things out. lol

Dear diary..

This is why I neg you bud

Take a long break. Like at least six months. Everything will come back quick anyway. Then adjust your training to how your body and recovery is now vs what it was ten years ago.

taking the legit extended break is the hardest hahaha

Just take a month off, srs

Did you have surgery on your shoulders? Maybe you should. I had a fully torn rotator cuff repaired 4 years ago this month and had some small tears in my bicep debrided during the surgery. I can pretty much do every lift, I just can't go heavy on a lot of upper body. Can still barbell lift, though, just have to go light. My ex had labrum surgery and within 6 months was back to lifting.

I've also had issues with my knees in the past few years and could only squat and lunge in SBD knee sleeves. The past few months I've been able to use thinner Rehband sleeves with no pain in my knees. I srsly attribute this to drinking bone broth 5+ days a week. I highly highly recommend it for nagging joint issues.

You should not be getting that screwed up pushing for strength. Brb can't even do a pushup..what?

Don't something like 90% of rc repairs fail?

I've had my labrum repaired twice and an acromioplasty/decompression but fuk a RC repair, they sound awful.

That's also why I won't fuk with heavy dumbbells since getting them into place or losing control on a rep can mean the end of a 35+ rc