Hello Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum and/or Dr. Austin Baraki,
I am starting a job that entails doing maintenance, moving objects, and more for 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Obviously going from sedentary outside of lifting to on my feet 8 hours a day doing tasks will affect my recovery. I am not sure if I can keep doing my program as it is, because now in addition to not getting ideal sleep, I will also be pre-exhausted from work. Right now I am doing a HLM program. The past 2 weeks I have failed on my 1x5 DL (before starting the job). Today is 1x5 DL day, and I just finished 8-hours of manual labor, so it is likely that I will be too exhausted to get the reps. How should I change my program to better workaround my job?
Also, I am wondering how to convert from straps back to strapless DL. Last week I tried strapless for the first time in like 1+ months and got 3 reps, with the 4th failed due to grip. How can I catch my grip back up?
It may take some time to adapt to the higher workloads, but this sounds like the sort of situation where using some form of autoregulation (i.e., RPE) would be most useful.
I would also caution you to pay attention to your expectations here, as saying things like “it is likely that I will be too exhausted to get the reps” may not actually be true.
Regarding your grip: you will need to find a weight where you can hold on to the bar, and work up from there. Not complicated.
I’ll bump this down to the training forum to see if others can chime in with their experience related to the job situation.
Hey there. I’m actually in a similar situation as you so I’ll share my experience.
I worked a desk job for the past 3 years and was sedentary outside of my training. Nine weeks ago I started a new job where I stand, walk, crouch, bend, lift, etc. for 8 hours a day. To my pleasant surprise, it hasn’t impacted my training nearly as much as I thought it would. I’ve dealt with a bit more general aches, pains and fatigue due to the nature of the job and adding 40 hours of physical activity to my week, but it’s nothing I haven’t been able to train through. In fact, my bench and press had essentially no decrease in performance at all. Deadlift and Squat had some decrease in e1rm for the first few weeks, but they’re pretty much back to where they were now. I did start having to consume a lot more calories to compensate for the added activity and recovery demands.
My advice is to not overthink it too much, maintain a positive attitude towards your training, auto-regulate your intensity by using RPE, and don’t panic if your strength drops for a bit. It’s only temporary, you’ll adapt, and you’ll be able to continue making gains. Remember that a few week adjustment period is negligible in the long run!
Last summer I worked a manual labor construction job for 60 hr weeks. I was still able to make progress on my lifts, simply ate, got as much sleep as possible, and used autoregulation on my training. While it is far from ideal, what are you gonna do, not train?
I’ve been swinging a hammer for the last 13 years while weightlifting and I’m 34 now. Granted for many of those years I wasn’t running a well designed program that we all have access to today, but we still got our asses in the gym. Suck it up, hang in there. Your body will adjust and it’ll make you stronger. Working construction and other physically demanding jobs will make you stronger and mentally tougher. Stop telling yourself ,“you’re exhausted”. You got this, grab some food and get back at it.
My business means roughly a 50/50 split of desk work to manual labor. Climbing all over / unloading trucks, lifting beams. I like to think in terms of labor being SSC.
I actually I feel more taxed and sluggish after long days of office drudgery and talking to customers than getting out and about. If your not already, use RPE. Thats what its all about.
I found timed barbell holds out of the rack, or easier still, from a chinning bar a few times per week at the end of a session helpful regarding grip. Remember to brace hard and squeeze the shit out of the bar also.
Im a Cole and I also live Colorado. Funny. anyway, I’ve always worked outside with my body in the sun and it’s the same as anything: you adapt to it. So for me, a day outside doesn’t pose any more obstacles regarding training than a day at the desk for a computer nerd.
It would help if you had time to get used to this lifestyle, and then you would perform your program correctly. I used to work in an office and always sat at the computer and did the most ordinary work. Then, I saw an ad for recruitment to the fire academy, and I realized that I could become a firefighter WA and change my lifestyle. I was accepted, and for about six months, I got used to heavy loads. But now, it has become much easier for me, because finally my body got used to this kind of load, and now everything is fine. And I can even say that I began to feel much better, I made friends, in short, I started a new life. Therefore, you can do whatever you want, just give your body time.
Based on your concerns about the impact of this job on your recovery and performance, it might be worth considering if it aligns with your long-term goals and aspirations. Given the physical demands and potential fatigue from your job, it’s understandable that it can be challenging to maintain your current training program. This situation could be an opportunity for you to explore new career possibilities that allow for a better balance between work and your fitness goals. It’s important to pursue a career that supports your overall well-being and allows you to prioritize both your physical health and professional growth.
Apologies for reviving this old thread, but I’d like to give my two cents. One option could be reducing the frequency or volume of your workouts, allowing more time for recovery. You could also experiment with rearranging your training days to ensure you’re not too fatigued when it’s time for the 1x5 DL. Also, I wanted to mention that if you’re open to exploring other career opportunities, I recently came across some fascinating prospects in the Phlebotomist profession. What caught my attention is that around 25% of students choose online phlebotomy classes. This could be a convenient way for you to try your hand at this role while balancing your current job. And it could open up new and exciting prospects for you.
Correctly applied and ensuring that RPE is measured accurately by calculating percentages, referring to lifting notes and e.g. not taking stimulants to get through workouts, I think RPE takes care of most of this. This has largely been the case in my experience, although I do have to take care to attend to overuse of a particular area since that can crop up quickly in a day.
Transitioning from sedentary to manual labor can be tough, but it’s great that you’re proactively seeking advice. To adjust your workout program, consider incorporating more rest days and focusing on full-body compound exercises to maximize efficiency. You might also want to prioritize sleep and nutrition to support recovery.As for your grip strength, gradually reintroduce strapless deadlifts into your routine and incorporate grip-specific exercises like plate pinches or wrist curls.And if you’re interested in exploring additional income opportunities, check out these insightful tips on how to make more money. Wishing you success in both your job and fitness journey!
Maybe dial back the intensity or volume slightly to prevent overexertion. As for transitioning from straps to strapless deadlifts, incorporating grip-strengthening exercises like farmer’s walks or static holds can help build up your grip strength over time.
One thing to consider is adjusting your program to accommodate your new workload. Maybe try reducing the intensity or volume of your workouts to allow for better recovery, especially on days when you’ve had a long shift. As for your grip strength, incorporating grip-specific exercises like farmer’s walks or forearm curls could help. And hey, when you need a break from the grind, there are even ways to get paid to play games that can add some fun and extra cash to your routine.
I’m actually starting a similar job soon. To be honest, this job wasn’t my first choice, but at the moment I have no other options. I’ve been unemployed for a while, and couldn’t find anything.
For your grip strength, I had a similar issue when I stopped using straps. It just takes time to get that strength back. I started doing exercises like plate pinches and farmer’s carries, which made a big difference. Another thing that helped was just holding onto the bar as long as possible at the end of my deadlift sets.
If you’re thinking about exploring other career options, especially ones that might be easier on your body, there are some good online programs at https://www.exploremedicalcareers.com/ultrasound-technician/online-programs/ in healthcare.