Workout slump: Cure please...

I usually love to work out, only lately I've just been "meh" about all my favorite routines. Thought joining Crossfit would cure it, but it's only frustrating me more. I miss the glorious feel of working the body. Now it only feels like drudgery. Which happens from time to time but not this long.

What I've tried:

taking a break for a week (drove me nuts)
cross training (hiking, African dance, Zumba, weights, and yes the Brazillian butt

What do you all do to get out of the slump?

Play a game, dodgeball, paintball, racketball, spar... thats what I do..

And its social.. get a few laughs..

Sign up for a competition of some kind. Gives you incentive.

Eat like a pig for a few days. mentally feels like being released from jail.

Read up on "recovery" -- for physical fitness, not drug abuse! Pro cyclists check for recovery a couple ways: Check your pulse in the AM before getting out of bed. If pulse is higher than the previous morning, you're not recovered. Second check is weight. If you weigh less than your previous workout weight you've not recovered. If you're trying to lose weight you want to go a pound a week, otherwise you're going to burn out.

Hydration is crucial. If you're not peeing clear water at least once a day you're not getting enough hydration.

You can do blood work, WBC counts, HGH, testosterone, etc . . . If you're not a contender in the Tour de France, this sort of stuff is over the top.

The post above has a nugget in it. "Eat like a pig for a few days." -- If you're denying yourself some simple pleasures in the name of "training and conditioning" the denial is going to stress you out. It's entirely possible (inevitable) that a rigid routine will become tedious.

My biggest problem is that I don't recover like I used to, used to back in 1967.

GrowerGoneWild said:

Play a game, dodgeball, paintball, racketball, spar... thats what I do..

And its social.. get a few laughs..

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I would LOVE me some dodgeball! Sparring? too hard core LOL. Where the heck would I find that? It would look weird if I started hanging around the schools at recess. I'd win for sure tho...

charface said:

Sign up for a competition of some kind. Gives you incentive.

Eat like a pig for a few days. mentally feels like being released from jail.

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competition? Like what? A 5k or something? Tough mudder. (that scares me) I tried rounding up some friends for tough mudder, but had NO takers.

Oh and I DID eat like a SOW last week (for all the wrong reasons, binge eating, emotional eating, munchies, entitlement LOL) and it only made me feel more defeated…

I'm intrigued though. Hmm…. a competition…. ideas? (for girls, come on, no cage fighting)

Allison Wunderland said:

Read up on "recovery" -- for physical fitness, not drug abuse! Pro cyclists check for recovery a couple ways: Check your pulse in the AM before getting out of bed. If pulse is higher than the previous morning, you're not recovered. Second check is weight. If you weigh less than your previous workout weight you've not recovered. If you're trying to lose weight you want to go a pound a week, otherwise you're going to burn out.

Hydration is crucial. If you're not peeing clear water at least once a day you're not getting enough hydration.

My biggest problem is that I don't recover like I used to, used to back in 1967.

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pulse and weight are same. Pee is clear (I drink tons, as kidney stones run in my family). Interesting on recovery though. I was told the same thing about 3 months ago: I was going at it too hard and for too long and my body needed more time to recover. So now I've lessened the intensity and make sure I have a rest day or two…


I wonder if this is just mental? I think most of working out is mental anyway. maybe this is just part of that puzzle. But man it sucks ballz. You know the feeling your body has when you just feel "right?" Like, I don't really weigh myself, but I know exactly when I weigh more or less b/c I can tell in my core and just that overall I feel "off"

This is totally weird.



Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. PS: Do you all go for some kind of competitive whatever then when you all are in a funk?

I know a few Chicks that do the Roller Derby thang. They are pretty girls but they like to hook it up.

Hookabelly said:

I usually love to work out, only lately I've just been "meh" about all my favorite routines. Thought joining Crossfit would cure it, but it's only frustrating me more. I miss the glorious feel of working the body. Now it only feels like drudgery. Which happens from time to time but not this long.

What I've tried:

taking a break for a week (drove me nuts)
cross training (hiking, African dance, Zumba, weights, and yes the Brazillian butt

What do you all do to get out of the slump?

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You need motivation? You need to step on that scale... You're sitting there getting soft. Looks like you put on a couple of pounds. Really...You're just gonna sit there reading this? Get your butt up and do something... Jumping Jacks anything. What are you doing? Come on, Let's Go. Go Go Go Go Go.

Heh...I know it's not exactly what you were asking for, but I hope it sets your mind in the right direction. Sometimes you just need to have someone push you a little. A friend to push you that little extra. The competition sounds like a good direction. Wait.... You're still sitting there reading this? LOL

Hope everyone read the whole post so they don't think I was calling you names...

mmjmon said:

You need motivation? You need to step on that scale... You're sitting there getting soft. Looks like you put on a couple of pounds. Really...You're just gonna sit there reading this? Get your butt up and do something... Jumping Jacks anything. What are you doing? Come on, Let's Go. Go Go Go Go Go.

Heh...I know it's not exactly what you were asking for, but I hope it sets your mind in the right direction. Sometimes you just need to have someone push you a little. A friend to push you that little extra. The competition sounds like a good direction. Wait.... You're still sitting there reading this? LOL

Hope everyone read the whole post so they don't think I was calling you names...

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Ok I'm up. Just finished writing a new choreo. Will go try it out...

I look at old pictures of me. That usually get's me hard enough to wanna do some sittups/pushups, or take the puppy for a run. That and helicopter lessons.

Its simple. The answer is mind over matter

RAYRAY420SMOKEWEEDEREDAY said:

Its simple. The answer is mind over matter
View attachment 3260975

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Fucking A-totally!

It's hard to say from just reading a few paragraphs and not seeing where your fitness level is now.
If you are very fit and in good shape and look good maybe you need to remind yourself of that reward.

Sometimes it's easy to forget what the rewards are of being in good shape.
Being around a lot of people at a big event sometimes juices me. I went to see slayer and I was in awesome shape, lifting heavy, sparring, mountain biking and felt great and was so glad I was in great shape. I jumped in the pit at that shit was bad ass for about a hour great exercise and great work out.

Take your fitness to the next level. If your favorite routines don't inspire you maybe its time to revamp your entire routines. Mountain biking took my fitness to a new level. it's great to get out of concrete city and be in the woods riding. Super fresh oxygen while doing cardio anaerobic/aerobic .
Try fucking really good too, make some porn that should inspire you too lol

Magic Mike said:

Try fucking really good too, make some porn that should inspire you too lol

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Geez Magic, at first I wasn't sure if it was really you…


Yeah yeah, i've stepped it up, started hiking hard core this summer. started with running down the mountain, now I run UP that bitch too. Maybe you're right. Maybe the slump is the addiction of exercise itself. The "super fresh oxygen while doing cardio" that you mentioned. I'm addicted to it. Or addicted to trying to get to that place. Thanks for the words man.

Hookabelly said:

I would LOVE me some dodgeball! Sparring? too hard core LOL. Where the heck would I find that? It would look weird if I started hanging around the schools at recess. I'd win for sure tho...

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I just get a bunch of friends to play at the rec center, oddly enough there are dogeball leagues in my city.. I just keep it to my circle of friends, makes for fun smack talk over a few beers.

Yeah I just mean anything that requires your fitness level to be
High. Who knows do some runs for charity or something.

Reduce the duration of your workouts. Makes it easier to go to the gym

iconoclast said:

Reduce the duration of your workouts. Makes it easier to go to the gym

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Hmmmmm……*weighs this option*…..I get obsessed with burning calories too though… A typical Crossfit work out is short (20 min or so) but I don't burn nearly as many calories as an hour work out. Does that even matter? Or am I just being a girl about that whole thing?

If your obsessed with burning kcals, and shortening ur duration is an option for u, u shld try sum H.I.I.T on treadmill or anything else 4 that matter, can b as little as 15mins in gym. Warm up few mins then if u in reasonable shape/ fit, go 40secs flat out hard as u can, 20 secs off or 30/30secs if thTs 2 much, and repeat 4 aslong as planned workout, with this kind of training u burn kcals all day, not jus whilst u are running/jogging slow and steady.

Hookabelly said:

Hmmmmm……*weighs this option*…..I get obsessed with burning calories too though… A typical Crossfit work out is short (20 min or so) but I don't burn nearly as many calories as an hour work out. Does that even matter? Or am I just being a girl about that whole thing?

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Ya, I find with myself, if I'm lacking motivation, there is a good chance I'm over training. It's very easy to over do it and training tolerance can vary a lot from person to person. I don't think training should soley be focused on how many calories your are burning because if you can't maintain the routine it is worthless anyways. Also, different types of training can trigger different hormonal responses so over training can actually hurt your cause. I think if you're trying to reduced calories, the best way to do that is by restricting your diet and use exercise to sort of boost your metabolism. Circuit training is good because you are getting a muscular workout and cardio workout at the same time, Crossfit does this as well. The key is to find what works for you. Just my opinions of course.