So you know how after competing, a lot of the times you can't wait to get back into the gym to work on your mistakes/weaknesses that you discovered during meet prep or even on meet day? Well sometimes (for me at least), the exact opposite happens. I usually always take a week off post meet to let my CNS recover and just keep my mind off of training. During that week off, I usually drive myself insane because of how much a part of my life training is. I had that itch on day number four or five but then around day seven or eight, I had zero desire to go into the gym. My diet was shit (I barely ate), I drank more alcohol, lost a significant amount of weight, maybe trained here and there to just go through the motions - but my normal "killer instinct" for going to the gym was just non-existent. I was going through some personal issues which I'm sure contributed but overall, I couldn't give a shit about training. My weight went from 230 to 214, I ate about once a day just to keep myself going and when I did it was through the drive-thru. The two times I did train weren't awful but God damn I usually love kicking my own ass in the gym. Then something weird happened.
This past Thursday morning (about 3 weeks after the meet), I woke up randomly at 4 am. I couldn't go back to sleep. I just kept thinking about training and how far I deviated from my ultimate goals the last few weeks. I said "fuck it", ate some breakfast, and then headed to the gym to get my third session in post competition. I worked out for about two hours and holy shit did I get that spark back. Something about being in a gym when there's almost nobody there...you're just by yourself and with your thoughts. Mind you, I despise training in the morning, especially early morning. So this was definitely something new for me (especially without taking any stimulants).
I guess the point of me telling you all of this is to let you know you don't always have to have that "GRIND! HUSTLE! KILL!" mentality. In my opinion, it's just not sustainable for long term success. I mean yea, some people have that attitude and at certain points, it may be necessary to get past a plateau or sticking point. For me, it's important for me to talk to someone, such as a close friend when I'm not sure why I'm feeling what I'm feeling. Many outside of this sport or those who don't train for competition, just assume I'm a meathead who just cares about getting jacked as fuck because I need to feed my huge ego. That honestly couldn't be farther from the truth. The iron, for some, can be that beacon of light when everything else in their lives are sitting in darkness. If you find yourself in that slump, remember why training is such a big part of your life. Remind yourself, "I need this. This is my therapy." Life happens. Don't get stuck in the slump.
A. Flat DB Press
55x20
85x15
100x8
105x8
120x8
130x8
B. Incline Machine Press
3x15
C. Cable Flys
4x20
D. Cross Cable Pull Downs
4x15
E. Lat Pull Downs
6x10
F. Supinated Machine Lat Pull Downs
3x12
G. DB Lateral Raises
4x20
H1. Cable Curls
5x10
H2. Tricep Rope Pushdowns
5x10
I. Abs - Rope Pulldowns
3x25