Is It Normal To Be Weaker Some Weeks? Everything You Need To Know
Have you ever had a week where you felt really weak and couldn’t seem to get any of your workouts in? You’re not alone.
This is actually a normal occurrence, and there are a few reasons why it might happen.
I understand how irritating it can be to cannot find your groove during workouts, especially if you were doing great previously.
In this post, we’ll discuss some of the possible explanations for why you might be feeling weak and outline what you can do to get back on track.
It is normal to be weaker some weeks?
The first thing to consider is your overall recovery. It can be difficult to recover from training if you are not getting enough sleep, or if you are under a lot of stress. It can also be helpful to examine your hydration and nutrition levels, as well as your blood sugar and bio-rhythms. If you are having difficulty recovering, then it’s important to look at your fitness plan and consider what you can do to improve your overall recovery. It can be helpful to mix up your routine and add in more rest days, reducing training volume, intensity, or the time of day you are training. It can also be helpful to look at your lifestyle, set realistic expectations, and make sure that if you are coming down with an illness, or recovering from one, you are allowing yourself the rest and recovery time needed. It is also important to consider the weather or season, as some seasons can be more strenuous on the body than others and effecting peoples mental state. By taking a closer look at your overall fitness plan, lifestyle and recovery routine, you can better understand why you might be feeling weaker some weeks and take the necessary steps to get back on track.
Let’s now look at some of the common causes of feeling weak and what you can do to improve. It’s important to remember that everyone is different, so it’s important to find what works best for you.
Lack of recovery
It’s important to make sure you have enough rest and recovery between workouts. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, this can have a huge impact on your performance and recovery.
Everyone is different about what sleep they need to perform optimally, so it’s important to listen to your body and adjust your sleep accordingly.
It is also essential to have at least one rest day every week and to make sure that you are taking enough time between each workout session so your body can properly recover.
A good rule of thumb is to allow for at least 48 hours of recovery time between hard workouts, while also getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
While you may be able to get by on less sleep, this could affect your workout routine, so it is crucial to find a balance.
Getting enough recovery is crucial when it comes to feeling your best during workouts, so make sure you are taking the necessary time for your body to rest.
Listening to your body comes with experience and understanding. It’s important to pay attention to your body and how it responds to different types of workouts and recovery times.
Stress or mental state
Stress can have a significant impact on your performance. It’s important to find ways to manage stress, such as taking time for yourself, meditating, or doing whatever relaxes you.
It can also be beneficial to stay connected with friends and family so that you have a support system.
Being stressed or feeling overwhelmed can cause you to feel weak during workouts, so it’s important to take the time to focus on your mental health.
Sometimes the daily grind of life can feel overwhelming and affect our performance. It’s important to take a step back and examine what you are doing. It can be helpful to make changes, such as delegating tasks, setting realistic expectations, and taking time for yourself to reduce stress.
By making sure that you are in a good mental state and managing stress, you can reduce the chances of feeling weak during workouts.
The mental aspect of lifting is just as important as the physical aspect. It’s important to listen to your body and mind and make sure you are in a good mental space before, during, and after workouts.
Hydration and nutrition
Hydration and nutrition are two important factors when it comes to feeling strong during workouts. It’s essential to make sure you are getting enough fluids and the right type of nutrients to fuel your body.
Dehydration can cause feelings of weakness and fatigue, so it’s important to make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day. It can also be beneficial to consume an electrolyte drink during your workouts, especially if they are intense or long.
For the average person, you should consume around 1.5-2 litres of water per day. For someone who woks out regularly, you should be drinking more. It’s also important to understand that everyone is different and adjust your hydration accordingly.
It can also be helpful to look at your urine colour, as this is a good indicator of how hydrated you are.
It’s also important to make sure that you are eating enough and getting the right types of nutrients. It can be helpful to plan out your meals and make sure that you are getting the proper macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) as well as vitamins and minerals.
By making sure you are properly hydrated and nourished, you can reduce the chances of feeling weak during workouts and help ensure
Blood sugar and Bio-Rhythms
It’s important to pay close attention to your blood sugar levels and bio-rhythms. It can be helpful to track your blood sugar and keep an eye on it throughout the day.
It can also be beneficial to monitor your bio-rhythms, such as sleep and energy levels. Ways to increase your blood sugar levels include eating low glycemic index foods, such as complex carbohydrates, and avoiding sugary snacks.
It can also be helpful to eat smaller meals throughout the day so that you can maintain steady blood sugar levels.
If your blood sugar is too low or your bio-rhythms are off, it can lead to feelings of fatigue and weakness during your workouts.
It’s important to make sure you are eating enough healthy foods and getting enough quality sleep in order to keep your blood sugar and bio-rhythms in check.
It is normal to be weaker some weeks due to various factors (such as what we’re talking about in this post) so it’s important to be mindful of your body and listen to it.
If something is out of sync, it’s important to adjust your routine accordingly, but knowing what it is can be difficult to put your finger on.
Adding in additional rest days and mixing up your routine is a couple of examples that can be helpful.
Related: What do you do on a bad day at the gym?
Look at your fitness plan
It is important to take a look at your fitness plan and consider what you can do to improve your overall recovery or think about changing the order of your exercises to maximize your strength and reduce feelings of fatigue.
For example, if you are doing a heavy chest session, then it might be helpful to do a lighter back or shoulder session the next day, as this could help to reduce fatigue and thus improve your overall strength during training.
If you have been doing the same exercises for a while now and feel like you are not making the gains that you used to have, then it might be beneficial to switch up your routine and add in new exercises to challenge your body.
Changing up your routine can help give your body time to recover and help ensure that you are at your best when training, or think about adding in new sets or reps for added intensity.
Hitting a plateau can be difficult to overcome, so it can be beneficial to make small changes to push through and make progress. Keep the body guessing and keep pushing yourself.
Premature weight increase
Have you increased the load before you recovered from your last session? It is easy to start adding more weight, but this can be counterproductive if your body isn’t ready for it.
It is important to give your body time to recover before adding more weight or intensity to your routine, as this can help improve performance and prevent injuries.
It can also be helpful to track your workouts and look for trends that could indicate when it might be time to increase the load.
Increasing weight prematurely can have a negative effect on your performance and can lead to a plateau. It is important to listen to your body, stay mindful of the signs that you need to rest and adjust your routine accordingly.
Going heavier than you can competently lift can be dangerous and can lead to serious injury, so it is important to stay within your limits and make sure you are taking proper rest days.
Training volume and intensity
It can also be helpful to look at your training volume and intensity, as this can have an effect on how quickly you are able to recover.
If you have been having some very intense workouts recently, then it might be time to reduce the volume or intensity of your workouts. It can also be helpful to add in more rest days and mix up your routine.
If your workout volume and intensity are too high, then it will be difficult to perform optimally and make progress. You simply can’t operate at that level all the time, as you will burn out and be prone to injury. It is important to understand your limits and adjust your routine accordingly.
It is important to listen to your body and adjust your training plan accordingly, as this can help you stay motivated and make sure you are making progress.
You may have reduced the intensity and volume because you are feeling weaker some weeks. It is normal to have fluctuations in performance from time to time, so it can be beneficial to take a step back and adjust your routine to ensure that you are recovering adequately and making progress.
By properly managing your recovery, you can ensure that you are able to hit your goals and stay injury-free.
Related: Why Am I Weaker Than My Last Workout?
Overtraining
This ties in with the volume and intensity just mentioned above. If you have been pushing yourself too hard, then it can be difficult to recover adequately and make progress.
It is important to understand your limits and adjust your routine accordingly, because if you don’t, then it can lead to overtraining and burnout. It is important to take regular rest days and give your body the time it needs to recover.
If you’re noticing that you’re more tired than usual, it’s crucial to reevaluate your physical fitness and think about how you can adjust your fitness plan to prevent overtraining.
If you are feeling fatigued or have been experiencing injuries, then it is likely because you are overtraining and need to make changes. It is important to listen to your body and adjust the intensity and volume of your workouts accordingly.
You may not realise it, but your body is always trying to tell you something. It can be difficult to listen and make the necessary changes, but it is essential for your long-term health and fitness.
Do you warm up?
It is also important to properly warm up your body before any intense physical activity. It can be helpful to start with some light stretching or mobility exercises to get your body ready for the workout ahead.
Spending a few minutes warming up can help prevent injury and ensure that you are able to perform at your peak. It is also helpful to cool down after a workout to help your body recover.
By properly warming up, you can ensure that your body is prepared for the workout and prevent injuries.
Not warming up may reduce your range of motion, reduce your performance, and can also increase the risk of injury. It is important to always warm up before you start any intense physical activity.
If you aren’t able to get the full range of motion with the exercises you are doing, this can translate into feeling weaker because your muscles are not able to fully engage.
It is important to warm up and increase your range of motion in order to maximize your performance.
It can also help to boost performance because your body is already prepped and ready to go.
Lifestyle
It can be helpful to look at your lifestyle to see if there are any changes you can make to ensure your getting the most out of your gym sessions.
Burning the candle at both ends and not getting enough sleep or eating the right foods can all have a negative impact on your performance.
It is important to look after yourself and ensure that you are taking the time to rest and recover properly. It is also important to make sure that you are eating a balanced diet, as this can help provide your body with the fuel it needs to perform at its peak.
If you lead a party lifestyle or don’t look after yourself with regard to the substances you consume, then this can affect your recovery and performance.
It is important to consider these lifestyle factors if you want to ensure that you are getting the most out of your fitness plan.
Overall, it is important to be mindful of the impact that lifestyle choices have on your performance and recovery.
Realistic expectations
It is important to have realistic expectations when it comes to your fitness plan and progress. It can be normal to feel weaker some weeks, and this doesn’t mean that you are not making progress.
It is important to be patient with yourself and understand that some weeks will be better than others. It’s also important to adjust your expectations if you are not able to work out as much as usual or have had an injury that affects your performance.
When you stop and think about it, there’s no way you are able to perform 100% all of the time, which is why it is important to have realistic expectations and understand that not every week will be a PR.
It is also important to take regular breaks and not be too hard on yourself if you don’t get the results that you are expecting.
We aren’t robots, we are human, and it’s important to factor in the effect that lifestyle choices can have on our performance. It is essential to make sure that you are taking all the precautions possible to ensure that you are able to perform at your peak and avoid injury. It can be helpful to listen to your body and make changes when needed.
Weather, season and illness
This might sound completely random but…it is important to consider the weather or season if you are affected by this kind of thing. It can be difficult to exercise in extremely hot/cold, wet or windy conditions. It can also be difficult to exercise when you are coming down with a cold or recovering from an illness.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can also be a factor, as it can significantly reduce one’s motivation and desire to exercise. It is important to make sure you are getting enough sunlight and taking breaks when needed.
If you are feeling particularly low it can also be helpful to speak to someone and get advice on how best to manage your feelings. It can be difficult to motivate yourself when you are feeling low and it is important to get the support that you need.
We are emotional beings and the weather can have a massive effect on our motivation and performance. It is important to plan and consider the weather conditions before you embark on a workout if this is something which can affect your mindset.
It can be helpful to adjust your expectations if the weather is not ideal or if you are feeling unwell. It can be helpful to take it easy and focus on low-intensity activities such as walking or yoga when the weather is not at its best.
It can also be helpful to take some time off from training if you are unwell or recovering from an illness.
Overall, it is important to be mindful of how your physical and mental well-being can affect your performance. It can be helpful to adjust your expectations if you are not feeling 100% and focus on activities which won’t put too much strain on your body.
Related: Why Do I Feel Weaker Instead Of Stronger Every Time I Work Out?
Final thoughts…
It is important to consider all of these factors when planning your fitness routine and recovery. It can be helpful to adjust your routine depending on how you are feeling because if you’re not feeling the workout ahead, don’t do it.
It is important to give yourself permission to rest and take breaks when needed. It can also be helpful to make sure that you are eating well, getting enough sleep and taking the necessary steps to ensure that you are looking after your well-being.
It can be helpful to mix things up and add in more rest days, reducing training volume and intensity. It is important to listen to your body and make the necessary adjustments depending on how you are feeling.
It is also important to take regular breaks and be mindful of how your lifestyle choices can affect your performance. It can be helpful to adjust your expectations if things are not going as planned and focus on activities which won’t put too much strain on your body.
Have you experienced this problem and how did you get back on track? Let us know in the comments below.
