Due to travel and then sickness, I ended up with two weeks off training and many days off from work as well since the LA FitExpo. No worries, next week the rent comes due. It's time to get back into shape, back into lifting and back into strongman.

I've talked with a few friends over the last two weeks about my training. Issues I have been faced with for at least a year, more like two to three include:

1. It takes a good 45 minutes at the gym to get motivated and engaged. It's become more of a coffee hour to convince my brain to engage and get to work.

2. Once motivated and engaged, it results in, "Hurry up! You're running out of time!" This sucks and I run out of time and leave half done or I stay at the gym for 3 hours to get through everything at the expense of my other obligations.

3. Gainz are not there. Or it they are, they are miniscule. This then reinforces point #1.

I'm glad to report that I am not the only one facing this issue. The people I have spoken to are in the 40+ category who have lifted a long time.  So, I suppose this is what happens after 40. Or so I have gathered from the small sample of people I've spoken to.

The main problem here is that my heart is still competitive. I want to keep competing in the open class and kick butt.

Enter Big Bald.

He's got some programming up his sleeve that is going to make or break me OR turn me back into a cardio bunny.  I'm still waiting what this will look like but TBH, I am getting sort of nervous in anticipation. My heart is hanging on for improvement.

Curious if any of you have also experienced a similar decline after 40 and how you handle it? Please do share your magical secrets!