Assuming your on the level, I really think you need to look at your discipline and dedication to training. Sometimes we all feel aches and pains when training hard. We perservere and so should you.
Reducing volume is good advice if you are really training hard and your injuries are a matter of overuse. Can you honestly claim this? How many days a week do you train? How much volume do you preform? If you post one of your workouts we could offer some advice and your “venting” will not be in vain.
Also, I just have to say that the advice to use machines exclusively is just absurd and the briefest perusal of this site ought to hammer that message home at least.
I am really not even sure what you mean by a “strain.” Do your muscles hurt? Your joints? What? This could be a result of weak connective tissue muscle imbalances, previous history of injury but you have not given us much to go on. Do you feel the pain after you finish your workout or only when you are preforming your set?
This is a bit of tough love I know, but this is a site for serious people so get serious and stop complaining. State your problem clearly and you will get a well reasoned response that may help you. I sincerely hope you rise to the challenge and that you find the fortitude to resolve what “strains” you. There are amazing resource on this site to help you do just that.
It’s possible that you are hammering the same muscles and joints all the time… while neglecting opposing muscle groups.
For example, benching all the time but not performing rows can lead to an imbalance. If this has you rounding your shoulders forward you will become prone to injury.
This is pretty simplified, but you get the idea.
Alternately, if you are in fact working hard, using a complete routine, you may just need to mix things up a bit instead of doing the same things all the time.
You need to let connectivity tissues, which adjust slower than muscles, catch up, so to speak.
Take a light week from time to time, substitute different lifts, try variations that are less stressful (such as dumbells which allow you more control in wrist position), and so on.
Oh, and if you are seriously cutting, then you won’t be able to recover as well, so you’ll have to watch your volume during the period your eating is reduced.
[quote]LCCHSathlete wrote:
Why are you cutting when you only squat 100 pounds?[/quote]
I think this is the only answer to your question. And cutting cals screws with your recovery. No offense, I’m going to be realistic with you (unless your a girl- Sometimes I can’t tell or assume wrong) and say your prob skinny fat. Which would be the only reason I can think of someone who only squats 100lbs thinking they need to cut.
Eat, gain some muscle mass, then worry about cutting to show what you got. Get a good program here so you know you won’t be getting too much imbalances and go at it.