24 Aug Slump Buster

By Jonathan Byrd

I have been ready to hang it up many times. At least once a year I think about finding something else to do other than powerlifting. It’s not that I don’t love the sport, or that I suddenly stopped being competitive, it’s just the grind of the sport that wears me down. I have had to start from scratch many times with injuries. Since 2001 I haven’t missed more than a few days of training due to vacations, or being really sick, so there isn’t a lack of dedication.  In those moments, when I feel like hanging up my belt, I have found ways to keep things fresh and more enjoyable for me. Being stale, or in a motivational slump can really impede progress.

Hire a Coach

The first thing I suggest for breaking out of a training slump is to hire a coach. This will take the guesswork out of what to do and how to progress. An outside set of eyes will help you see things you are missing and possibly find some weak points that you were not aware existed. Be sure to talk to your coach about how you are feeling, tell them if you are feeling sluggish, and be honest if you are really looking to go in another direction.  A coach can really help your progress and bring some life back into your training.

Change Your Training Style

If you don’t hire a coach, look at changing how you train. You can adjust many things in the gym to get some motivation going. Training frequency, tempo, or style of training are just some examples of how this can be accomplished. Sometimes just a few weeks of lighter weights and faster tempos can really get you missing the powerlifting style of training.

Set Goals

One of my favorite tactics as a coach to help people snap out of things is giving the client some short-term goals. These goals can be nearly anything. For example a rep PR, a body weight goal, or even focusing on just one lift. Again, follow the theme of creating a change of pace.

Change of Scenery

Something many lifters do to get out of their slump is to travel. Find some different gyms, or different training partners and get in a few training sessions. You could learn some new things with new people.  Find a brand new atmosphere to train in to give you a different perspective. There are reasons why the top lifters in the world often train together. New gyms and new people are a great opportunity to share your ideas and see if they have any suggestions.

Different Form

My last suggestion is to give a different form of powerlifting a try. Often after an equipped meet, I spend some time doing raw work. Usually for my squat I work in just knee sleeves only. It is a great change of pace for me; I can lower the intensity and work through some minor injuries. If you are a raw lifter, try throwing on a set of briefs, or maybe a bench shirt that is a little too large. It will give you something new to work on and bring some life back to your training.

Obviously different things work for different folks.  Change isn’t always a bad thing and that change can often help you to refocus. Continuing to go to the gym in a slump isn’t doing you any favors. Just remember, have a plan and never fear reaching out to other lifters.

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Jonathan Byrd

Jonathan Byrd is a competitive powerlifter, with over 16 years of training experience. Byrd has been ranked nationally for the past 6 years under multiple categories. His total has ranked as high as second nationally in the 275 class. He currently has a best total of 2500lbs. Best individual lifts include a 1040lb squat, a 750lb bench press, and 735lb deadlift. His 1040lb squat ranks him 26th all-time squats at the 308 class. Jonathan currently trains out of Team Samson Gym in Jacksonville, FL. Before powerlifting Jonathan was a college athlete at Methodist University as both an all-conference football player and track athlete. Following graduation he played four years of arena football in various leagues.

Latest posts by Jonathan Byrd (see all)

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