Suddenly unable to do pull-ups

[sPwism]

I have been able to do 5-8 unassisted pull-ups since 2 years ago.
I do them pull ups always twice a week.
Recently i joined Kayaking and we had highly intense training on our upper body. These training happens on Monday.

After my first training,my upper body was sore for 3-4 days.
On my next training, I was told to do pull-ups but i realise my hand lost it strength, i was unable to do a single one. I presume it can't be the soreness as I rested my whole upper body for a full week. I thought it could be because i did 100 pull ups.

So after the 4 days after the 2nd training,which is today,i tried to pull again,but again,i can't do a single one.

Anyone experienced this before ? I'm afraid i lost all my strength unexpectedly for those 5-8 pull-ups i usually do and it's worrying me badly.

 

[ponyboy]

Something like kayaking can cause a lot of rotational torque through your cervical and upper thoracic spine, which can impact on your brachial plexus, hence inhibiting your shoulders/arms ability to fire properly.

Can you do something like a pronated pulldown with any kind of weight? If one hand is weaker than the other you probably need to go have your neck/upper spine looked at to make sure you haven't screwed anything up.

 

[sPwism]

Something like kayaking can cause a lot of rotational torque through your cervical and upper thoracic spine, which can impact on your brachial plexus, hence inhibiting your shoulders/arms ability to fire properly.

Can you do something like a pronated pulldown with any kind of weight? If one hand is weaker than the other you probably need to go have your neck/upper spine looked at to make sure you haven't screwed anything up.

We haven't really started on kayaking.
We are currently into alot of PT right now.
Bench presses, Push-ups , Crutches.
We do alot of reps and also alot of running.

In any case,does imbalanced strength render you unable to do pull-ups ?
Cause it was a drastic change of reps,from minimum 5 to 0.

 

[zok37]

You are doing more than your body can handle right now. Because you are doing pt and weight training your strength has gone down. If you stop doing pt i'm sure in a week your strength will come back. If you are gone continue doing both make sure to increase your calories, specially complex carbs.

 

[OneWheyOrAnother]

Agreed. Just over training. Increase calories, rest. Decrease lifting volume in gym.

 

[sPwism]

You are doing more than your body can handle right now. Because you are doing pt and weight training your strength has gone down. If you stop doing pt i'm sure in a week your strength will come back. If you are gone continue doing both make sure to increase your calories, specially complex carbs.

I fixed out a schedule according to what you said.

Monday - Kayak PT
Tues - Rest
Wed - Rest
Thurs - Weights.
Friday - Rest
Sat - Rest
Sun - Rest

I also make sure to more complex carbs, so does my schedule works theoritecally ?

Agreed. Just over training. Increase calories, rest. Decrease lifting volume in gym.

Pls comment on my schedule

Monday - Kayak PT
Tues - Rest
Wed - Rest
Thurs - Weights.
Friday - Rest
Sat - Rest
Sun - Rest

Just devised this out , enough rest time ?

 

[Merkaba]

Eat

 

[mlc308]

I agree that you need to eat and rest. Also, consider that how you are doing pushups can also effect your ability to do a pullup. If you are doing more "scapular Pushups" during pt, this will effect your entire back and shoulders. You might need to adjust how you are performing them...

 

[zok37]

That's a good start for now

As you get stronger increase your workout days to 3 days a week...like mond/wed/frid.

I fixed out a schedule according to what you said.

Monday - Kayak PT
Tues - Rest
Wed - Rest
Thurs - Weights.
Friday - Rest
Sat - Rest
Sun - Rest

I also make sure to more complex carbs, so does my schedule works theoritecally ?



Pls comment on my schedule

Monday - Kayak PT
Tues - Rest
Wed - Rest
Thurs - Weights.
Friday - Rest
Sat - Rest
Sun - Rest

Just devised this out , enough rest time ?

 

[sPwism]

I agree that you need to eat and rest. Also, consider that how you are doing pushups can also effect your ability to do a pullup. If you are doing more "scapular Pushups" during pt, this will effect your entire back and shoulders. You might need to adjust how you are performing them...

I thought no matter how you do a push-up,you would still use ur arms and back.. So my pull-ups will be affected ultimately if i do my push-up before my pull-ups. please correct me if i am wrong.

That's a good start for now

As you get stronger increase your workout days to 3 days a week...like mond/wed/frid.

Ok thank you for your advice.

 

[sPwism]

Still unable to do pull-ups... what is going on T_T anyone experienced this before ? i really need help. My fitness trail for my kayak team is coming soon.. if i fail the pull-up components,i have to leave the team..

 

[primo33333]

decrease lifting volume

 

[barc77]

You are doing more than your body can handle right now. Because you are doing pt and weight training your strength has gone down. If you stop doing pt i'm sure in a week your strength will come back. If you are gone continue doing both make sure to increase your calories, specially complex carbs.

Agreed. You are probably just over doing it.

 

[LAM]

a decrease in functional strength is a sure sign of over-tranining.....

 

[sPwism]

I just did a research. I guess i am really suffering from overtraining. I can't even do a bicep curl with a 2kg dumbbell now. my arms just wont bend.
Same case for my pull-ups.

Does this means i have to cease all arms exercises till i full recover ? Is it still ok to do occasional push-ups and bench dips as i have kayak training which i am not allowed to miss.

Furthermore, is there anything i can do to speed up the recovery ?

 

[amonroe]

Give yourself more rest time...also, did you gain any weight in the last week or so? An increase in 2kg can make pullups a lot more difficult.

 

[wolf2009]

Hmm..give it some time...u'l be back to the original reps in no time..rest its all in your mind..try overcoming it