Post: #101

(12-31-2015 12:25 AM)kinnikinik Wrote:  One more related question on this thread, Does it make any sense that I would have trouble sleeping on nights after 5x5 workouts? Seems to be developing into a pattern.

Yes, it means that your workouts are too long or too intense.
As a result, your cortisol rises too much and your testosterone drops too much.
If you have trouble sleeping after a workout, your body isn't in anabolic condition either.

Same thing happened to me on a 5x5 routine.
These programs are great for learning technique and quickly increasing your strength, but once the weights on all exercises are challenging, the workouts become too taxing for a lot of people.

Post: #102

(12-31-2015 02:12 AM)PhDre Wrote:  

(12-31-2015 12:25 AM)kinnikinik Wrote:  One more related question on this thread, Does it make any sense that I would have trouble sleeping on nights after 5x5 workouts? Seems to be developing into a pattern.

Yes, it means that your workouts are too long or too intense.
As a result, your cortisol rises too much and your testosterone drops too much.
If you have trouble sleeping after a workout, your body isn't in anabolic condition either.

Same thing happened to me on a 5x5 routine.
These programs are great for learning technique and quickly increasing your strength, but once the weights on all exercises are challenging, the workouts become too taxing for a lot of people.

I"m 50+

Great info.. what do you mean by "anabolic condition"?

Post: #103

^An anabolic process requires energy to construct molecules from smaller units, thus anabolic processes "build mass" (muscle mass, bone mass, organ tissue).
A catabolic process on the other hand breaks down complex molecules and releases energy (for instance you lose muscle mass when underfed).

Anabolism is mainly controlled by the anabolic hormones: testosterone, DHT, DHEA, growth hormone and insulin
Catabolism is controlled by the catabolic hormones: cortisol, adrenaline, ...

When you lift challenging weights, multiple things happen to your biochemistry:
1) an increase in growth hormone
2) a transient increase in testosterone, followed by a drop in testosterone after training. The longer and harder you train, the more severe and longer the drop in T becomes
3) an increase in cortisol. The longer and harder you train, the bigger the cortisol spike

So training is a fine balance: if you don't train hard enough, you will not activate additional protein synthesis in the muscles. If you train too hard, you will shift your body into catabolic state and you won't build muscle either.

Bad sleep after training, feeling slightly ill the next day, diminished appetite, painful joints are strong signs that you are overdoing it.

And it wouldn't surprise me that, at your age (if you are not on T/GH), a 5x5 routine is simply too taxing and places you in a catabolic state

For the biochemistry experts: I know that my explanation might be oversimplified.

Post: #104

(12-24-2015 12:57 AM)ball dont lie Wrote:  I did stronglifts twice with some time off in between for focusing on basketball. Its hard to lift 3 days a week and play basketball on off days. Or at least, it didn't work for me. Was completely off lifting and would rather keep my legs free.

For me I didn't gain much weight. In fact I was eating 4-5 times a day, huge meals, lifting three days a week, three days a week foam rolling and stretching to rehab in between. I gained 4-5 lbs. No matter what I did.

For hard gainers, small boned guys with high metabolism, probably focusing on higher rep would be better for muscle/weight gain.

I loved stronglifts though. I got MUCH stronger, especially for my weight.

I have done the same thing you did.
Once i injured myself in basketball because my legs were sore from stronglifts... Then i stopped the lifting for a while and focused on basketball. Now I got back to stronglifts, because I read this forum and I started to think, that strength is more important. Let's see how i can mix stronglifts and basketball..

Post: #105

(12-31-2015 03:44 AM)PhDre Wrote:  ^An anabolic process requires energy to construct molecules from smaller units, thus anabolic processes "build mass" (muscle mass, bone mass, organ tissue).
A catabolic process on the other hand breaks down complex molecules and releases energy (for instance you lose muscle mass when underfed).

Anabolism is mainly controlled by the anabolic hormones: testosterone, DHT, DHEA, growth hormone and insulin
Catabolism is controlled by the catabolic hormones: cortisol, adrenaline, ...

When you lift challenging weights, multiple things happen to your biochemistry:
1) an increase in growth hormone
2) a transient increase in testosterone, followed by a drop in testosterone after training. The longer and harder you train, the more severe and longer the drop in T becomes
3) an increase in cortisol. The longer and harder you train, the bigger the cortisol spike

So training is a fine balance: if you don't train hard enough, you will not activate additional protein synthesis in the muscles. If you train too hard, you will shift your body into catabolic state and you won't build muscle either.

Bad sleep after training, feeling slightly ill the next day, diminished appetite, painful joints are strong signs that you are overdoing it.

And it wouldn't surprise me that, at your age (if you are not on T/GH), a 5x5 routine is simply too taxing and places you in a catabolic state

For the biochemistry experts: I know that my explanation might be oversimplified.

Great information, thanks. I'm thinking that I'll plateau myself at my current levels for a while and let my body catch up. Also, I'm going to really emphasize increasing clean protein intake over the next couple months as I try to loose the xmass candy pounds.

Again, thanks for the info all.