"Haven’t been lifting…I feel so weak and small"

[shortz]

Haven’t been lifting…I feel so weak and small.
(A little motivation for when you have to take time off)

I have been off from the gym for nearly two weeks. I have been thinking about how when someone I know tells me they haven’t been able to hit the gym in a week, even a few days, and suddenly they look smaller and feel weaker. Believe it or not, half of that is only in your head, the rest is actually quite real.

As for feeling weaker, the body needs time off from time to time. We start to slack a bit with diet, or maybe we are over trained. Taking that time off does us some good. Say we take off from the gym when it’s not needed. Research supports that the body can actually lose some strength when taking off from exercise after just 2 days. It’s not what you think though. You’re not suffering from muscular atrophy, it’s a side effect of the CNS and cardiovascular system not being stimulated. Simply staying active when you’re not at the gym can be enough to keep the CNS and cardiovascular system stimulated to prevent energy and strength loss. In other words, too much rest can be a bad thing too.

Motivation plays a large role too. Going to the gym and telling yourself you're going to get a good workout because you had rest. Killing your motivation with thoughts of lost strength is def going to pay a toll.

As for getting smaller, this is really quite simple in most cases. After a longer than usual lay off from the gym, the body has a tendency to retain some water. When you exercise, you dehydrate your muscles and they appear to be harder and not to mention, the pump you get helps too. This is the psychological part. Many of us are used to seeing our muscles pumped and dehydrated many times a week, whether it be from cardio or weight lifting, both will have similar effects on how we look in the mirror. When we go for so long without seeing this, we begin we begin to feel that we are getting smaller. This little idea hit me when I hit the gym today, after my time off, only doing cardio and abs and when I saw my arms, they were hard once again, like I hadn’t lost any lifting time.

[JUICE]

i havent lifted weight in about 1 month and a half. I did so but for a week and stopped, shouldnt count that. I need to get that motivation back. Ive given adivce to people on motivation but cant follow my own. Ive been too lazy. In bodyweight, weight is still the same, but i gained fat and lost strength and size a bit. I miss the tightness in my shirts. I need to get back into it.

[beefcake]

Originally Posted by JUICE

i havent lifted weight in about 1 month and a half. I did so but for a week and stopped, shouldnt count that. I need to get that motivation back. Ive given adivce to people on motivation but cant follow my own. Ive been too lazy. In bodyweight, weight is still the same, but i gained fat and lost strength and size a bit. I miss the tightness in my shirts. I need to get back into it.

You'll be back soon bro. After a good off period, your body will be ready and your muscles will long for that pumped feeling again. You'll be ready to break the gym door down in no time. Been there, done that, feeling great now too.

[pierced one]

i was sitting at my desk fellin my arm and they have shrunk. i am smaller and less flexible. I started on Monday and i have been 4 times this week it feels good, other than i cannot walk.(squats kicked my ass). JUst needed a little push to get going.

you will pick up just as i did and will be back to your old self.

[JUICE]

Originally Posted by beefcake

You'll be back soon bro. After a good off period, your body will be ready and your muscles will long for that pumped feeling again. You'll be ready to break the gym door down in no time. Been there, done that, feeling great now too.

thanx bro. Ive done this before, but one mistake i did was go to the gym smaller than i was whne i left, alot of people starred at me, telling me that i shrunk big time. This time might hit the basics here at home, got a olympic size bench and plate, i'll rebuild the mass here and go back to the gym the same size as when i left.

[BBAddict]

Originally Posted by JUICE

thanx bro. Ive done this before, but one mistake i did was go to the gym smaller than i was whne i left, alot of people starred at me, telling me that i shrunk big time. This time might hit the basics here at home, got a olympic size bench and plate, i'll rebuild the mass here and go back to the gym the same size as when i left.

The gym comments may give you the motivation you need! I'd get back in the gym and start hitting it hard--besides it's cheaper than buying equipment!

[football89]

I haven't lifted for almost 4 weeks because of my broken arm, and i feel horrible

[shortz]

Originally Posted by football89

I haven't lifted for almost 4 weeks because of my broken arm, and i feel horrible

Damn, that's shitty bro. Do your best though. There are still some things you can do, like cardio and legs and lower back.

[BBAddict]

Originally Posted by shortz

Damn, that's shitty bro. Do your best though. There are still some things you can do, like cardio and legs and lower back.

Yeah, you could be the exact opposite of half the stupid people at the gym that just show up, do some upper body workout (usually bench presses and dumbell curls) and think they're bodybuilders!

[muscle_n_blood]

I had shoulder surgery 4 weeks ago, and my shoulder was not useable for a few weeks before that. I have lost a lot of mass...but I'm not going to let myself get fat. I do thigh extensions, hamstring curls, seated calf raises, and hack squats with ridiculously light weight. (I can't carry any weight on my back yet, and I can't hold myself cown in the sled to do leg press with any appreciable weight.) Also, I do some light maintainance work with the good side, plus cardio. I go 4 x a week. I will not lose my motivation. When I see how small I am, I am motivated. It's going to be a major rebuilding project when I come back full speed.

[NYCmitch25]

M'n'B what problem did the surgery correct?

I agree with bbaddict seems nobody these days does legs at my gyms.

[muscle_n_blood]

full thickness rotator cuff tear
glenoid labrum tear
large chondral defect on end of humerus, debrided and chondroplasty
bone spurs removed.
loose bodies removed

[NYCmitch25]

let us know what and how your rehab goes... good luck brother.
if you need any tips - post away.

[muscle_n_blood]

Thanks. Surgery was 4 weeks ago. Rehab is still ROM mostly, pulley and stick work. The therapist is well pleased with the progress, but it seems awfully damn slow to me.