Major Fatigue After Lifting

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JessaLee0324
JessaLee0324 Posts: 118 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been doing SL5x5 for 3 weeks now. I love it. But I'm noticing that I get pretty fatigued after a lifting session. Achy, tired, cold. At first I thought it was illness. But this is becoming a rather recurring thing.

Has anyone else experienced this? I want to continue with my workouts, but I would really like to know how to squash the crappy feeling I get the rest of the day!
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  • jasonp_ritzert
    jasonp_ritzert Posts: 357 Member
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    5x5 is a pretty rigorous regimen. Sounds like you may need some more calories to get you through the workouts if you are over-tired. To combat the achy-ness, I know it sounds odd but try ice bathes after lifting. I feel so much better after an ice bath after lifting. The idea is to sit in the ice bath as long as possible and then get out to let your body naturally warm back up (i.e, don't take a hot shower to warm up). The thought is that your body will rush warm, oxygenated blood with nutrients to those areas in the ice bath and it helps speed up recovery. I've been doing it since college football and it works wonders after really hard workouts.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
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    I am the same way! If I lift at the gym, I basically crash about 2 hours later for a long nap...then I feel like poo for the rest of the day.
  • alan_huynh2000
    alan_huynh2000 Posts: 43 Member
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    Are you taking any post workout protein/carb drink? Those "can" aid in recovery and soreness. Also stretching, and getting enough rest and sleep between workouts.
  • alan_huynh2000
    alan_huynh2000 Posts: 43 Member
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    Sorry for the double post back to back.

    Are you taking a pre workout? You could be suffering from a caffeine/energy crash.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
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    alan_huynh2000 wrote: »
    Are you taking any post workout protein/carb drink? Those "can" aid in recovery and soreness. Also stretching, and getting enough rest and sleep between workouts.

    This. Also drink plenty of water, helps flush the lactic acid from your muscles that can cause soreness.
  • JessaLee0324
    JessaLee0324 Posts: 118 Member
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    Stronglifts 5x5 is pretty tough, but I'm actually not feeling that sore after a workout. Just REALLY exhausted. I compare the feeling to getting the flu. Chills, tired, achy. Not sore achy...just achy as in my muscles are spent with nothing left.

    I'm not using a protein powder or doing anything special "pre" or "post" workout. I am trying to eat more protein each day though.

    My diet hasn't been as good as it could be these last couple of weeks. I haven't spent a lot of time prepping my grocery lists....I'm just too tired! And I get enough sleep at night. My husband and I are in bed by 9:30 usually.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    I've been doing SL5x5 for 3 weeks now. I love it. But I'm noticing that I get pretty fatigued after a lifting session. Achy, tired, cold. At first I thought it was illness. But this is becoming a rather recurring thing.

    Has anyone else experienced this? I want to continue with my workouts, but I would really like to know how to squash the crappy feeling I get the rest of the day!

    It could be a nutrition thing (tired / cold), try maybe having a small Gatorade 30-min's before you train.
    the lactic acid from your muscles that can cause soreness.

    More modern information believes that lactic acid is not the source of muscle soreness; the soreness is a result of micro-tears to the muscle tissue as a result of resistance-training.
  • JessaLee0324
    JessaLee0324 Posts: 118 Member
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    Oh...and right now I am only doing SL5x5. Just 3x a week. The plan was to walk or do the elliptical Tues & Thurs but I haven't incorporated that just yet. So I am getting plenty of rest between workouts.
  • eversmj
    eversmj Posts: 40
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    Are you sure SL 5x5 is the right program for you at this time? You seem like you might be a novice and 5 sets across for 5 reps using compound lifts is pretty big chunk of volume, especially if you're trying to increase weight every workout.

    Something like Starting Strength (very similar to SL5x5, basically 3x5) might get you the same results and prolong the time you can make linear, workout-to-workout progress. Once you're a little more conditioned you can go to 5x5.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    Oh...and right now I am only doing SL5x5. Just 3x a week. The plan was to walk or do the elliptical Tues & Thurs but I haven't incorporated that just yet. So I am getting plenty of rest between workouts.

    That's fine really, probably keep those sessions to 30-min's tops if you're just going at a moderate pace and you should recover fine unless your nutrition and sleep are way off.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    Oh...and right now I am only doing SL5x5. Just 3x a week. The plan was to walk or do the elliptical Tues & Thurs but I haven't incorporated that just yet. So I am getting plenty of rest between workouts.

    SL 5x5 and other "heavy" programs are very hard on your CNS...that is probably what you are feeling. You are literally beating the *kitten* out of your CNS 3x per week. Nutrition, including calories are very important to recovery.

    I do my Oly-lifts and "heavy" lifts on Saturdays and I usually leave the gym feeling like I just road a century. That kind of stuff is just really hard on the CNS...it's one of the big reasons I had to ultimately abandon a dedicated "strength" and/or power lifting routine...I was just too wiped to do anything else. It's an awesome program for building strength fast though.
  • journalistjen
    journalistjen Posts: 265 Member
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    I'm doing Strong Lifts right now. I don't feel overwhelming tired after a workout, but I just started, and I have a good diet right now. The only problem I'm having is establishing a baseline. I'm forcing myself to not do too much weight so I can get the form down, especially on squats. I usually don't go low enough. I'm trying to build my knees up.
  • CGreen177
    CGreen177 Posts: 45 Member
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    Adding to favourites so I can keep an eye on this thread! I'm also suffering a bit from cold / shakes and wipeout after workouts - not always, but yesterday I was totally done in (like after an 8 hour hike kind of done-in). I have also recently started 5x5 - currently fairly low weights and concentrating on form.

    My nutrition is pretty good in general, I drink a high protein / glucose drink after workouts, and try to keep my protein intake up in general on lifting days. But I am definitely not getting enough sleep and have been working very long hours / high stress recently. Hoping that's the contributing factor for me.
  • JessaLee0324
    JessaLee0324 Posts: 118 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    Oh...and right now I am only doing SL5x5. Just 3x a week. The plan was to walk or do the elliptical Tues & Thurs but I haven't incorporated that just yet. So I am getting plenty of rest between workouts.

    SL 5x5 and other "heavy" programs are very hard on your CNS...that is probably what you are feeling. You are literally beating the *kitten* out of your CNS 3x per week. Nutrition, including calories are very important to recovery.

    I do my Oly-lifts and "heavy" lifts on Saturdays and I usually leave the gym feeling like I just road a century. That kind of stuff is just really hard on the CNS...it's one of the big reasons I had to ultimately abandon a dedicated "strength" and/or power lifting routine...I was just too wiped to do anything else. It's an awesome program for building strength fast though.

    I think you are right. It's my CNS.
    BUT....it sounds like what you are saying is that I am kicking my own rear-end, each time I do a SL5x5 workout? Because I don't feel that beat up immediatly after the workout itself. Its a couple hours later. And I'm not doing killer amounts of weight either. For instance, I STILL have a hard time doing all 5 sets of 5 reps on OH Press....using ONLY the bar! My shoulders are weak and I struggle soooo much with this one. And I'd have to say, it's the only one I feel like I'm going to die while doing! It really takes a lot out of me. But everything else....not so much.

    Is weight lifting 3x a week really that bad? It's the only thing I'm doing :/ I really don't want to have to cut back. It would ruin the program.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    It's not bad, but if you do it with a certain intensity, it can wipe you out. Then your body recovers, and you can push a little harder.

    Bad is working at such a low intensity your body is never pushed.
  • Anniebotnen
    Anniebotnen Posts: 332 Member
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    eversmj wrote: »
    Are you sure SL 5x5 is the right program for you at this time? You seem like you might be a novice and 5 sets across for 5 reps using compound lifts is pretty big chunk of volume, especially if you're trying to increase weight every workout.

    Something like Starting Strength (very similar to SL5x5, basically 3x5) might get you the same results and prolong the time you can make linear, workout-to-workout progress. Once you're a little more conditioned you can go to 5x5.

    This ^^^. It sounds like you have symptoms of overtraining. Not all programs are suitable for everyone, and especially not while eating at a deficit. Look for a different program that can be more individualized to your needs and current capabilities/fitness level, or back off of the number of sets/reps/weights you're doing on your current program. Your workouts should feel challenging and make you a little tired, but not to the degree you're experiencing.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Having a newbie trade SL for SS is pretty stupid, unless they have a trainer to make sure their cleans are bomber.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    How much are you eating? No one can lift on too high of a deficit.....
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    Oh...and right now I am only doing SL5x5. Just 3x a week. The plan was to walk or do the elliptical Tues & Thurs but I haven't incorporated that just yet. So I am getting plenty of rest between workouts.

    SL 5x5 and other "heavy" programs are very hard on your CNS...that is probably what you are feeling. You are literally beating the *kitten* out of your CNS 3x per week. Nutrition, including calories are very important to recovery.

    I do my Oly-lifts and "heavy" lifts on Saturdays and I usually leave the gym feeling like I just road a century. That kind of stuff is just really hard on the CNS...it's one of the big reasons I had to ultimately abandon a dedicated "strength" and/or power lifting routine...I was just too wiped to do anything else. It's an awesome program for building strength fast though.

    I think you are right. It's my CNS.
    BUT....it sounds like what you are saying is that I am kicking my own rear-end, each time I do a SL5x5 workout? Because I don't feel that beat up immediatly after the workout itself. Its a couple hours later. And I'm not doing killer amounts of weight either. For instance, I STILL have a hard time doing all 5 sets of 5 reps on OH Press....using ONLY the bar! My shoulders are weak and I struggle soooo much with this one. And I'd have to say, it's the only one I feel like I'm going to die while doing! It really takes a lot out of me. But everything else....not so much.

    Is weight lifting 3x a week really that bad? It's the only thing I'm doing :/ I really don't want to have to cut back. It would ruin the program.

    You need to understand that "heavy" is relative. If you struggle to get in 5x5 of OHP, then that is "heavy" for you and will tax your CNS big time. It's also normal to have that fatigue set in later.

    Also, like I said...nutrition and calories are important. I make sure I get in some recovery nutrition very shortly after a good Oly session...carbs and protein.

    Also, these programs can most certainly be done while dieting, but they really aren't designed with the "dieter" in mind...being in an energy deficit makes these kind of programs even more taxing. Personally, I'm partial to Starting Strength's 3x5 format when dieting...SL is basically the same program but in a 5x5 format vs a 3x5 format. The 3x5 I believe is more suited to beginners and you don't peter out so quickly from a lack of calories and being on a diet...but that's just my personal experience talking.

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    JessaLee0324 wrote: »
    BUT....it sounds like what you are saying is that I am kicking my own rear-end, each time I do a SL5x5 workout? Because I don't feel that beat up immediatly after the workout itself. Its a couple hours later. And I'm not doing killer amounts of weight either.

    You've only been doing SL for a short time now, so the weights aside from the OHP shouldn't be too awful yet. I'm going to say it's probably more nutrition-oriented than training-oriented. I know it's not sexy, but I would start there first. What does your daily calorie in-take look like? What's your age, height, weight?

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