Training when life is a mess

[rhinozt47]

Hello all,

What do you guys do to keep up with training when everything else in your lives is going to shit? Relationship, job, finances, everything being a hair away from being completely fucked and feeling like you’re walking a tight rope 24/7. I still get in the gym, but the desire and motivation are completely absent. I know it’s discipline over motivation, but there has to be some degree of internal drive to be able to push hard enough for training to be productive. I find myself in this horrible negative feedback loop where training is shitty because I’m exhausted and in a horrible state of mind, then my mental state is worsened because my training and my hard earned progress is going to shit.

Any advice would be tremendously appreciated. I’m way beyond the David Goggins don’t be a pussy stuff though. I don’t know what else to do at the moment with life and the gym except keep my head down and keep trying, holding out hope that things will work out.

 

[RiceNKimchi]

I personally have had times where I dropped training or bbing due to life. Focus on what is damaged and try to fix first. You will enjoy cycling much more when you have time and a mind set for it.

 

[Fattyone]

You’ve basically described 93% of my life for the last few years.

I’ve just learned to except workouts suck and there is no desire lol just force yourself. I’d kill to be one of those people who get angry and kill it in the gym. I just get down and wanna lay in bed

 

[laclark89]

Hello all,

What do you guys do to keep up with training when everything else in your lives is going to shit? Relationship, job, finances, everything being a hair away from being completely fucked and feeling like you’re walking a tight rope 24/7. I still get in the gym, but the desire and motivation are completely absent. I know it’s discipline over motivation, but there has to be some degree of internal drive to be able to push hard enough for training to be productive. I find myself in this horrible negative feedback loop where training is shitty because I’m exhausted and in a horrible state of mind, then my mental state is worsened because my training and my hard earned progress is going to shit.

Any advice would be tremendously appreciated. I’m way beyond the David Goggins don’t be a pussy stuff though. I don’t know what else to do at the moment with life and the gym except keep my head down and keep trying, holding out hope that things will work out.

Dang bro I've been there, it feels like the world is crushing you when everything going bad at once. But life, production in the gym nothing is liner. You have ur up and downs and hopefully in the long term you will see a upward trend over the peaks and valleys if that makes sence.

I think we can push through alot of shit in most cases, were men and were have more power over our mind and even future than u think. So there is something to that David gogins shit.
Try using stims just pre workout and some good jams, and try to go to that dark place and punish the fucking weight.

If u cant dont that just go into cruise mode with ur workouts and gear if u take any, no pr's no blasts. mabe ad some longer more frequint cardio sessions. Also put ur job as ur #1 priority.

 

[4Drago]

There's nothing wrong with taking a break from the gym for awhile. It can actually be a much needed time for recovery, both physically and mentally.
When you're ready to come back you have muscle memory to look forward to.

 

[Hayes88]

Sucks man and most here will understand the feeling fully. I doubt there are many who can turn a horrible life mess to gym anger and really push, those guys doing just that might have one problem, not ten.
If my GF pisses me off and threatens to leave, then yes, I can gym. If you add debt, loosing work and death in family on that, then no, hell no...
So don't be afraid to take time off.

However, I do agree with the "movement is action", so any type of movement will do. Try something else than gym? Go to the boxing bag and say you gonna have 100x fast punches, 50x hard punshes, 25x kicks on each leg with no rest. That way you fight your sorrow/ frustration out, I think that helps more faster than 3 sets of 12 where it gives you time to think.

 

[narta]

Take time off. Focus on what matters and return when you are mentally ready to crush it.

 

[Ryu82]

If the gym is feeling like a chore and your not enjoying it, take a break from it.

Personally, with all the stress in my life the gym is my 90min window of me time where I forget about everything else.

 

[Demondosage]

This makes no sense to me. Why step away from training when things in life are going to shit? Training is a way to still have small wins daily when nothing else is going well, and it helps you keep a warrior mentality that gets you through the other bullshit in life. Sounds to me like you stew unable to separate the shit from the gym time and it’s bringing you down. I think you need to simplify things more, start with the smallest of wins (20 min cardio daily, 30 min weights, consistent 5x per week workouts) and build off that. At the end of the day it’s all about a state of mind, avoiding the gym and dwelling on the negativity is self destructive.

 

[RiceNKimchi]

This makes no sense to me. Why step away from training when things in life are going to shit? Training is a way to still have small wins daily when nothing else is going well, and it helps you keep a warrior mentality that gets you through the other bullshit in life. Sounds to me like you stew unable to separate the shit from the gym time and it’s bringing you down. I think you need to simplify things more, start with the smallest of wins (20 min cardio daily, 30 min weights, consistent 5x per week workouts) and build off that. At the end of the day it’s all about a state of mind, avoiding the gym and dwelling on the negativity is self destructive.

It's relative to the person. When my work kicked up to 70 plus hours a week. Anabolics were no longer in the mix. Natural training I would understand but there is no reason to take aas when you don't have the time or dedication needed.

 

[laclark89]

It's relative to the person. When my work kicked up to 70 plus hours a week. Anabolics were no longer in the mix. Natural training I would understand but there is no reason to take aas when you don't have the time or dedication needed.

I dont think op said anything about anabolics. And even if ur working 70 hrs a week non labor intensive u could still manage a 20min work out a day or even a work out on ur off days.

A nice little dose of test to keep u in the upper range, may help with recovery and the motivation to put in the work.

 

[RiceNKimchi]

I dont think op said anything about anabolics. And even if ur working 70 hrs a week non labor intensive u could still manage a 20min work out a day or even a work out on ur off days.

A nice little dose of test to keep u in the upper range, may help with recovery and the motivation to put in the work.

We're getting lost in translation. Trt and anabolics are not the same for me... I did assume he's taking aas/peds since he's in a steroid forum though

 

[laclark89]

We're getting lost in translation. Trt and anabolics are not the same for me... I did assume he's taking aas/peds since he's in a steroid forum though

Slightly just different definitions is all. To me I'd say if ur naturally low t or hell any t level and ur taking exogenous testosterone to get ur levels higher , ur on a anabolic.

I know I always assume that too, but I'm sure there are some natural guys around trying to learn more and decide if they wana jump to the dark side. I did I lurked around here for a few years before joining and i was natural then. I guess that's the smartest and most harm reductive thing to start with, learn about what ur gana well before u decide to do it.

 

[trengod1992]

As a guy with ms (multiple sclerosis) working 2 jobs, 7days a week and paycheck to paycheck living. I find 5 days a week to lift 5 hours a week. The thing is you need to change your mindset, instead of thinking you’re a victim push yourself to feel like a victor. Everyone has 45mins a day to train

 

[Demondosage]

As a guy with ms (multiple sclerosis) working 2 jobs, 7days a week and paycheck to paycheck living. I find 5 days a week to lift 5 hours a week. The thing is you need to change your mindset, instead of thinking you’re a victim push yourself to feel like a victor. Everyone has 45mins a day to train

Exactly!

 

[rhinozt47]

Appreciate all your replies. The reality is as a man the answer always is quit being a pussy and get it done. I subconsciously fall into these traps where I think I have options, that somehow things can be made easier, that the way I feel matters. In the end, just gotta get it done.

 

[Demondosage]

Appreciate all your replies. The reality is as a man the answer always is quit being a pussy and get it done. I subconsciously fall into these traps where I think I have options, that somehow things can be made easier, that the way I feel matters. In the end, just gotta get it done.

Realizing you’re being a pussy is the first step towards getting the help need.

But in all seriousness, I think we all understand how life situations and stress can affect our motivation levels. I say work on changing life situations so training/results can be more beneficial since you aren’t carrying a weight of bullshit on your shoulders all day everyday but use the training during this time to keep you moving in the right direction and stay grounded to some form of positivity at least in one area of life

 

[shartking]

Appreciate all your replies. The reality is as a man the answer always is quit being a pussy and get it done. I subconsciously fall into these traps where I think I have options, that somehow things can be made easier, that the way I feel matters. In the end, just gotta get it done.

Give yourself a day to do nothing.

 

[Mranadrol]

I'm always in and out depending on the season and what's going on in life. It's tough for me to stay on track, especially when I'm off cycle lol

 

[Big_paul]

When life sucks the iron puts things in perspective. I do my best thinking banging out reps.