WTF happened to my strength??!!!

[yungfaceb3]

I have been seriously bodybuilding for about 2 years now and have put on around 45+ pounds of muscle. My strength and size seems to progressivley increase as I train and maintain a proper bb diet, but recently it has gone frustratingly and even infuriatingly haywire. well about a month ago i went out of state for a few days...came back...got back on training and diet and in the gym i was okay just a little mentally backed up. then about 2 weeks later i got really bad food poisoning for the first time ever and i was messed up for about a week..some days barely able to eat anything. Two days ago i started working out again and the first day i was kinda winded but okay..yesterday on legs i was doing just as good as ever, but today..on the bench...i had such a frustarting experiance after 5 sets that i just left the gym. what i normally do 8 reps of i was struggling my ass off to just get 3 reps of!!!! and everything was just like 20-35 pounds heavier feeling! i havent done barbell bench except light weight /high reps for about 2 weeks.....but still. i havent rtraine dmy legs in almsot 2 weeks and they are A-OK. My strength cannot possibly be 6 months rversed can it??? I am hoping my recovering from sickness body and being kind of tired and lethargic today played a role it and I'm not just the unfortunate victim of nature.

[IronReload04]

what is your age/height/weight


anybody who is even intermediate, would realize, that ****ing food poisoning is going to **** your shit up in a variety of ways, and any rational human being coming back wouldnt expect to be in tip top shape

[yungfaceb3]

I am well aware that food poisoning will mess me up and it did. I never expected to come back in perfect shape..but i mean yesterday I hit my legs pretty damn hard ..pretty much the same as i do when i am 100% with the exception of slightly longer rest periods...and i was able to push it out. But today was ridiculous..i mean i wan't expecting to break any personal records or have a killer workout, but damn such a DRASTIC decrease was less expected than an actual increase. I did feel kind of lacking energy today as a result of my body overcoming the final miniscule effects of my sickness but what the ****....i didn't think it was actually possible for someone to be pushing so hard and have such less strengtht han normal. hopefully i am just tripping.

[IronReload04]

why even worry about it man.........besides, you always have muscle memeory......even if you had losses, what will it take? 2 weeks to get back? 3 at the absolute most? I would hypothesize, that after food poisoning, alot of processes are down.......like sarcoplasm, mitochondria efficiency, glycogen retention, creatine retention, cns, nuerological pathways


it could be worse, thousands of worse things could have happened to you.......think about a kid born in a wheel chair? or a handicapped kid who will never know what its like to be in love, or feel what its like just to have a change with that hot chick

[IronReload04]

just get healthy, eat big, get the diet in check......and enjoy the gym........make a new start with a renewed sense of motivation and determination.....like your a caged animal looking for some barbed wire to chew on....


any advanced guy, or even intermediates, would not be worrying about issues like this because they are thinking rationally

my 2 cents

[yungfaceb3]

I appreciate it man. I was just tripping. Bodybuilding means so much to me and I work so hard at it...that I just get all messed up when I seem to fail and even backstep in my progress. I was just frusterated, and your right it could be worse. I am a very greatful person and very thankful for all of my blessings daily.

[IronReload04]

I know exactly how you are feeling.....the biggest thing to remember is their is a reason for everything.........If you slide backwards, their is a reason for it....maybe you are overtrained, not eating enough, in this case, food poisoning


Just think it out rationally, you are gonna be fine...good as new in a week or 2

[bigdog123]

do u take breaks once in a while like 1 week off every 2-3 months??

[yungfaceb3]

I have taken off MAJOR days lately due to food posining/sickness....going out of state, etc. Normally I train 3 days on..one day off. This seems to be enough for me, but usually about 5 weeks or so I will take 2 day rest periods accordingly. Anyways...i hit my chest again today and....my strength was GONE still. I was at the strength level of about 6 months+ ago on the bench pres and dumbell flyes...but on chins/rows/ incline db presses...i was just BARELY behind 100%....i just don't get it..... Hopefully i will see muscle memory kick in soon...this is becoming so frustrating..i mean i usually train bench preses on a pyramid: (reps) 10,8,8,6,4 (increasing the weight every set) and today the weight I NORMALLY do 10 reps of (easily) was pretty much what i was struggling to do 4 reps of in my final set. The weight I normally do 8 reps of..i never even got that heavy! Anybody eelse have a similar occurence happen to them b4? I guess all i can do is keep my head up...and push through this.

[Ronnie Rowland]

I think you were entering a state of "over-training" and the food poison sent you over the edge!

[green22]

we all have bad days dude. you cant be cock desiel everyday. Plus on top of that you had food poisioning. If it hadnt been bench press day would you been this upset??? dont sweat it bro you gonna be fine.

[yungfaceb3]

I'm not the ego training type...and I have never had a big bench, but I have spectacular form..and the bench/chest has always been a hard part for me so I hit it very hard and when it falls back it makes it that much worse. My arms/ legs etc are stronger points so they are okay regardless. I got food poisoning/sick..lost some weight unfortunately very quickly...but I will rebound..and hopefully be better than before.

[IronReload04]

if you really have no ego, than just competely ditch barbell flat bench pressing

incline barbell bench, smith low incline, dumbell flat, dumbell incline, hammer press flat, hammer press incline are all hardcore chest exercises