After returning from his 1,200 mile auto trip, the 59 year old Beck had the misfortune to step off a curb and fall, severely twisting his ankle. He was lucky it did not break. He landed hard on his tailbone and that could have had catastrophic consequences. His bodyweight goal for Week V was to whittle down to 218 pounds. He started off the week (having just returned from his trip) weighing 222.4 and by the weeks end, he managed to drop to 219.4, a three pound loss.
Pretty dang excellent considering his twisted ankle put a real damper on his training.
He contacted me on Monday. Cardio was out of the question and squats and deadlifts were out of the question. I suggested he concentrate on his bench press (no ankle pressure) and add seated curls alternated with tricep pushdowns. In addition he would perform seated shrugs and seated lat pulldowns for some upper back work. It was decided that he should crank back on his overall calorie intake. Being unable to power-walk and being unable to generate those high heart rates he was routinely experiencing after performing squats/deadlifts, it was only logical that he compensate by reducing his caloric intake to offset his enforced lack of activity. His three pound weight drop was fabulous and attributable to having the discipline to cut back on the food when the natural tendency would be to eat more. He commented...
Not a lot of exercise results to report due to travel days and the injury. However, I lifted today and it felt great! I still cannot squat due to ankle pain and substituted some leg presses. I also tried the exercise bike instead of walking. The nutrition is definitely working. Weighed in this morning at 219.4 and expect to hit 218 in the next day or two! I am still right on track and right back on schedule in spite of travel, injuries and assorted setbacks. Ankle is feeling much better. I should be able to resume squats on Tuesday. I tweaked my left hamstring a bit during deadlifts. You were right on in having me take a few days off - I was really tired from the trip and needed the break. Your coaching allowed me to psychologically take a break as well. So, kudos to you!
Often the smartest thing a trainee can do is take a break from training. Certain "tells" and clues start to surface: continual exhaustion, tiredness, mental fuzziness and a telltale lack of enthusiasm for training.
Taking a few days of complete rest can revitalize and reenergize a person. After 2-3 days of rest, the trainee will suddenly feel a tremendous urge to recommence cardio and lifting. When they do begin to train, poundage soars, reps soar and cardio personal records fall effortlessly.
I've seen this phenomenon happen repeatedly: I often have to force a trainee to take a break and often encounter resistance, "I don't want to stop - all my gains will disappear!" Because I have been monitoring their lack of progress and sensing their general fatigue, I can spot the telltale signs of over-training before they can. After coming back from an enforced layoff, trainees are amazed at how rejuvenated, rested and alert they feel. Elite athletes take time off before a major competition. They seek to make sure that they are completely rested and healed from the intense training they've subjected themselves to.
I have applied this "purposeful layoff" strategy to Beck and this coming week when he is able to recommence hard training I expect personal records to fall like dry leaves in late autumn.
Pretty dang excellent considering his twisted ankle put a real damper on his training.
He contacted me on Monday. Cardio was out of the question and squats and deadlifts were out of the question. I suggested he concentrate on his bench press (no ankle pressure) and add seated curls alternated with tricep pushdowns. In addition he would perform seated shrugs and seated lat pulldowns for some upper back work. It was decided that he should crank back on his overall calorie intake. Being unable to power-walk and being unable to generate those high heart rates he was routinely experiencing after performing squats/deadlifts, it was only logical that he compensate by reducing his caloric intake to offset his enforced lack of activity. His three pound weight drop was fabulous and attributable to having the discipline to cut back on the food when the natural tendency would be to eat more. He commented...
Not a lot of exercise results to report due to travel days and the injury. However, I lifted today and it felt great! I still cannot squat due to ankle pain and substituted some leg presses. I also tried the exercise bike instead of walking. The nutrition is definitely working. Weighed in this morning at 219.4 and expect to hit 218 in the next day or two! I am still right on track and right back on schedule in spite of travel, injuries and assorted setbacks. Ankle is feeling much better. I should be able to resume squats on Tuesday. I tweaked my left hamstring a bit during deadlifts. You were right on in having me take a few days off - I was really tired from the trip and needed the break. Your coaching allowed me to psychologically take a break as well. So, kudos to you!
Often the smartest thing a trainee can do is take a break from training. Certain "tells" and clues start to surface: continual exhaustion, tiredness, mental fuzziness and a telltale lack of enthusiasm for training.
Taking a few days of complete rest can revitalize and reenergize a person. After 2-3 days of rest, the trainee will suddenly feel a tremendous urge to recommence cardio and lifting. When they do begin to train, poundage soars, reps soar and cardio personal records fall effortlessly.
I've seen this phenomenon happen repeatedly: I often have to force a trainee to take a break and often encounter resistance, "I don't want to stop - all my gains will disappear!" Because I have been monitoring their lack of progress and sensing their general fatigue, I can spot the telltale signs of over-training before they can. After coming back from an enforced layoff, trainees are amazed at how rejuvenated, rested and alert they feel. Elite athletes take time off before a major competition. They seek to make sure that they are completely rested and healed from the intense training they've subjected themselves to.
I have applied this "purposeful layoff" strategy to Beck and this coming week when he is able to recommence hard training I expect personal records to fall like dry leaves in late autumn.
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