So I’ve been working a hard manual labour job for about 8 months now and for the first 5-6 months were manageable in terms being able to achieve progressive overload in the gym because the job wasn’t quite as difficult around that time due to staff levels being slightly higher.
However for the last 2 months or so a few people have quit, non of whom have been replaced meaning that everyone has more work to do and it is completely draining me of my strength and motivation. Achieving progressive overload has been impossible and I’ve actually been losing strength. For example 3 weeks ago i was benching 100kg/225lb for 3x4 no problem and now I’m benching 100kg/225lb for 3x1 (all my lifts have suffered in the same way).
In a normal week i work five 8 hour shifts and I have to go to the gym straight after because i don’t drive yet (so i don’t have time to go home then go back to the gym).
About 2/3 weeks ago I had some time off work and I was hitting 1-3 PRs every workout so it’s incredibly frustrating that i cant when i have work.
Does anyone have any suggestions to fix this???
Things I’ve tried so far:
- I’ve upped my caloric intake and I am well over my caloric maintenance so my food intake isnt a problem.
- I eat as much as i can when I’m at work on break but this is fairly difficult because I’m a painfully slow eater. I usually have something like a lucozade and water that i drink throughout the shifts as well.
- I’m a preworkout addict (currently using Centurion Labz Rage DMAA version) and no amount of preworkout is helping me achieve progressive overload.
- Sleeping longer. I always get AT LEAST 7 and a half hours sleep.
Is it time i started looking for another job?
I have thought about going to the gym before work however it’s the last thing I want to do as it would be extremely difficult to make it fit my schedule and it would then probably mess up my performance at work.