Powerlifting and Life: Finding the Balance
Balancing the demanding world of powerlifting with a busy lifestyle is no small feat. Whether you're juggling a career, family, or other non-powerlifting related goals, it's still possible to make progress in your lifting journey. However, your training approach might need to adapt to your hectic schedule.
My Journey: Adjusting to Life's Demands
In the past, I trained intensely, often pushing close to failure and beyond. While this approach yielded great progress, it also left me exhausted for the rest of the day, hampering my productivity outside the gym. As my life became busier, I realized I needed to manage my fatigue more effectively without sacrificing training intensity.
Effective Fatigue Management Techniques
Here are some techniques I've found effective in maintaining a balance between powerlifting and daily life:
1. Heavy Top Sets with Back-Off Volume
One strategy is to work up to a heavy top set, then reduce the weight, reps, or RPE for back-off sets. This approach allows you to accumulate volume without excessive fatigue.
Example:
Perform 1 set of 3 reps at RPE 8.
Follow up with 3 sets of 5 reps at RPE 7.
This method reduces the overall weight and intensity, minimizing fatigue while still ensuring effective training.
2. Prioritize Low-Fatigue High-RPE Exercises
Save your high-RPE efforts for exercises that generate less fatigue. This way, you can train intensely without the same level of exhaustion.
Example:
Leg extensions produce less fatigue compared to leg presses, which in turn generate less fatigue than low-bar squats.
By choosing exercises strategically, you can maintain intensity without overtaxing your body.
3. Use Lighter Variations for Volume
Incorporating exercise variations that can't be loaded as heavily is another excellent way to manage fatigue. You can still train with intensity but avoid the taxing effects of heavier weights.
Example:
Perform a top set of deadlifts, then accumulate volume with paused deadlifts.
This approach allows you to train hard while keeping overall fatigue in check.
Final Thoughts
Balancing powerlifting with a busy life requires thoughtful adjustments to your training routine. By employing these fatigue management techniques, you can continue to make progress without compromising other aspects of your life.
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Have questions or need more personalized advice? Comment below or contact me! Let's work together to keep you lifting strong and living well.
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