Hello Doc’s, Follow up on this topic, where I reported on a significant increase in performance after taking an NSAID (Ibuprofen 600mg).
In the meantime I have testen my 1RM without taking an NSAID (very small increase in 1RM’s) and did a comp and took the same NSAID about 30min before my first squat (results: see below).
Training didn’t indicate that there would be much improvement between the 1RM test and the comp, so I expected very small PR’s at best.
The results were similar to when I first took an NSAID before training. The feeling when lifting was also very similar: almost no strain when lifting very heavy weights, much more easy to express my strength, …
My warm-ups went so good we increased my openers by 10kg for all lifts. And that was still very conservative.
Now I’m wondering what the reason could be that I can lift so much more weight when taking an NSAID.
Is there any effect known that could cause this in certain situations?
Is it dangerous? (I’m not planning on making it a habit to take an NSAID before training, but I’m inclined to keep using them when a competing (I’ll keep at the 600mg dose) )
Have you ever noticed this with other lifters? (obviously Leah has never experienced this)
I would rely like to know what’s going on, since I don’t think it’s normal for an NSAID to have such a profound impact on my performance.
NSAIDs have no real effect on training outcomes or performance outside of those who have reductions in pain from taking NSAIDs and can thus train more effectively (and more often) if they use NSADs.
As far as what’s really going on, you had a good training day secondary to previous training. NSAIDs had no effect.
If you want to take NSAIDs and you have discussed this with your doctor, go ahead- we can’t tell you if it’s appropriate for you as an individual.
I have talked to my MD a while back regarding this, but before I experienced this myself.
He told me he knows about professional basketball players taking NSAIDs before a game. His take was that it could be worth the risk in their situation but he wouldn’t advise it for someone training as a hobby.
He wan’t really against taking them ones in a while. According to him there’s isn’t significant risk.
But that conversation wasn’t really related to resistance training/lifting heavy weights.
The thing is that the frst time I took the NSAID I wasn’t in pain from training or anything that would normally influence my training.
The second time (during the competition) I wasn’t in any pain at all. I can see that I could’ve felt some pain while lifting 105% of my previous 1RM and that could’ve influenced my abbaility to express my strength. So in that way I see how it maybe could have influenced my performance.
What I wonder is if there is something that is holding my training progression back and if I “switch that off” (in stead of taking an NSAID), I would get better progress.
Like I said, I’m not planning on making a habit out of taking NSAID’s for training. Certainly not to try to boost my performance during training.
I find it interesting that when I see very little progress from training I can suddenly hit huge PR’s on test-day/comp day just by simply taking some light pain killer.
I’ll placebo myself again, next comp. Just to be sure to get some meet-PR’s.
I know the placebo effect can be strong. And if it’s not dangerous it will only give me some more confidence during the meet.
Still, if it’s a placebo effect, do you think I can train myself so the breaks don’t come on as soon as they do? (without needing the aid of a placebo)
That would be awesome.
Because now my brain/body tells me I’m at my limit much sooner then when I take the NSAID/placebo. If there’s no real reason I can’t lift a certain weight, beside the fact that I limit myself (mentally), then I should be able to just lift the weight. I’ve proven that with the placebo.
I want to be very clear- your focus on this is preventing you from setting the same PR’s sans NSAID. In other words, you’re ascribing the improvement to NSAIDs rather than to your own training and improved performance. Until you divorce this idea, either by “choice” or by experience, I’m not sure there’s much we can do besides have the discussion we just did.
I agree that psychologically the NSAID helps me with lifting more weight. But I never doubt that it’s actually my training is making me stronger. I’m very proud of the effort I put into my training and I actually go into a meet/test-day with a very good mood. (like LS McClain) It’s just that the NSAID adds that little extra (at least that how it feels to me).
I also agree that I most probably don’t need them to set PR’s. A sign is that I can train with much heavier weights (e1RM goes up in relation with the new PR) then before setting the PR. And the PR’s with NSAID are well above the e1RM deduced from my training. So I suddenly get stronger by taking an NSAID, 1 day for 9 lifts.
The next meet I’m planning on doing are the national championships. So I’m not going to “risk” a bad performance by omitting my placebo. But the next meet I’ll compete without it. See how that goes. If it’bad, I know I need to work on it.
I’m not using them in training, so nothing to adjust there.
I appreciate that you took the time to answer my questions and giving me free advise.
