Lifting heavy = weaker?

Options
jarrettd
jarrettd Posts: 872 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started Supreme 90 a week ago. I'm using challenging weights. I'm at or near failure by the time I reach the last set / last rep of each move. This feels good; like I'm really accomplishing something.

However, I have noticed I'm less able to do my day to day tasks. I'm not what you would describe as "sore", just weak. Lifting my daughter to put her in her high chair and carrying my vacuum downstairs are much harder than they were before. Is this a temporaty part of building lean muscle, or am I losing muscle mass due to my calorie deficit? I'm set to 1/2 lb. per week. I use a HRM and eat back all of my exercise calories. My diary is open. I'm doing cardio and yoga in addition to S90, with one rest day per week.

Any insight/advice is welcome! Thanks!

Replies

  • corpus_validum
    corpus_validum Posts: 292 Member
    Options
    Are you giving yourself enough rest? For strenuous weight workouts, you should give yourself at least 24-48 hours of rest before hitting the same muscles again.

    Other suggestion would be to increase your protein intake slightly so that you take in at least 1g per lb of body weight. This will help you to at least maintain muscle mass while on a caloric deficit instead of catabolizing them. For instance, drink a whey protein shake after your strenuous workouts.

    The other would be to maybe try a supplement with BCAA's (branch chain amino acids) so as to lessen your soreness/weakness after workouts. I use a product called Scivation Xtend and it seems to help. But there a less expensive alternatives out there, and it (BCAA's) may not prove helpful or only marginally for you.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,319 Member
    Options
    Eat more.

    'nuff said?
  • jarrettd
    jarrettd Posts: 872 Member
    Options
    Thanks. I'll try upping my protein intake.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,503 Member
    Options
    I started Supreme 90 a week ago. I'm using challenging weights. I'm at or near failure by the time I reach the last set / last rep of each move. This feels good; like I'm really accomplishing something.

    However, I have noticed I'm less able to do my day to day tasks. I'm not what you would describe as "sore", just weak. Lifting my daughter to put her in her high chair and carrying my vacuum downstairs are much harder than they were before. Is this a temporaty part of building lean muscle, or am I losing muscle mass due to my calorie deficit? I'm set to 1/2 lb. per week. I use a HRM and eat back all of my exercise calories. My diary is open. I'm doing cardio and yoga in addition to S90, with one rest day per week.

    Any insight/advice is welcome! Thanks!
    Well vacuums get heavier as well as your daughter if she's gaining weight. Also you've depleted the glycogen that is used to fuel lifting workouts and that would have an effect on any other lifting.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    Options
    When you first start lifting you will probably want to only work a muscle group once per week. This will give the muscle plenty of time to recover, the longer you lift the faster you will recover (to a point).

    If I feel weak, I just give myself an extra day off that week. I lift heavy for and hour each session and I lift 3 times per week. A lot of times if I try a fourth session I'm not recovered enough to get a good workout. I have found that taking BCAAs does help speed up recovery.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    Options
    I started Supreme 90 a week ago. I'm using challenging weights. I'm at or near failure by the time I reach the last set / last rep of each move. This feels good; like I'm really accomplishing something.

    However, I have noticed I'm less able to do my day to day tasks. I'm not what you would describe as "sore", just weak. Lifting my daughter to put her in her high chair and carrying my vacuum downstairs are much harder than they were before. Is this a temporaty part of building lean muscle, or am I losing muscle mass due to my calorie deficit? I'm set to 1/2 lb. per week. I use a HRM and eat back all of my exercise calories. My diary is open. I'm doing cardio and yoga in addition to S90, with one rest day per week.

    Any insight/advice is welcome! Thanks!
    Well vacuums get heavier as well as your daughter if she's gaining weight. Also you've depleted the glycogen that is used to fuel lifting workouts and that would have an effect on any other lifting.

    Good point. It might be worth checking your carb intake to make sure you're getting enough.

Categories