November started with serious events that will definitely impress on my nutrition, lifestyle, training and training results. I have to start take statins, to decrease cholesterol level. Doctor prescribed me Atorvastatin, and I started to take it since November.
So my result for November is:
Working out while taking statins
It was time for first upper body workout. I didn’t even think about possible side effects before training. But during first set of pull ups I realized that something has changed. I was shocked how hard first set felt for me. I thought I might not have warmed up properly. I decided to add one more dumbell. to my usual weight, and did second set with additional 16kg weight. I did 4 pull ups and felt very very tired. My arms were like spagetti after that. Then I started to realize that maybe it is caused by statins, I started to take two days ago. Did next set of bodyweight pull ups, then set of chin ups with +10kg, and it was clear that I am totally exausted. Just to increase my total workout repetition count, I did two more sets with only 6 and 5 pull ups. Usually, I was able to pull out 8 or 9 reps even after 4 sets of weighted pull ups.
First workout. I did 37 pull ups in total::
- 10 pull ups, bodyweight
- 4 pull ups, +16kg
- 8 pull ups, bodyweight
- 4 chin ups, +10kg
- 6 pull ups, bodyweight
- 5 pull ups, bodyweight
My dips also was weak today
Later, after training, I did a little research, but find out that Internet is full of questions like “workout while on statins”, “statins and exercise”, “experience on training while on statins” and similar, but there is barely few real people experiences shared. What I found out is, that there is possibility, that statins could affect training results, cause muscle pain and weakness. And various research results, that tells, that there is no clear evidence, that statins caused fatique and weaker physical results.
It looks like there is no clear answers, and it depends for every individualy, what side effects can appear. So I wrote about my first experience of workout while on statins in new post here.
One thing is absolutely clear, that I have to adapt to the new circumstances.
Second upper body workout. I was ready for hard training again. I decided to do only bodyweight repetitions, as I felt my endurance decreased a lot.
I did 40 pull ups in total:
- 10 pull ups, bodyweight
- 8 pull ups, bodyweight
- 8 chin ups, bodyweight
- 8 pull ups, bodyweight
- 6 pull ups, bodyweight
same was with dips, I did only bodyweight exercises: 10 regular, 8 straight bar, 8 regular, 8 regular dips.
Third upper body workout of Novemer, was only after 6 days, due to the national holidays. Still very hard, fatique reached very fast.
I did 37 pull ups in total:
- 5 pull ups, +13kg
- 5 chin ups, +13kg
- 8 pull ups, bodyweight
- 8 pull ups, bodyweight
- 6 pull ups, bodyweight
- 5 pull ups, bodyweight
dips was hard also. I did 10 regular, 8 straight bar, 8 regular, 6 regular, 5 regular dips.
The fourth upper body workout. Still very hard, fatique reached fast, but felt maybe a little bit better than last time. Maybe I was starting to adapt to new conditions.
I did 41 pull ups in total:
- 10 pull ups, bodyweight
- 5 pull ups, +13kg
- 5 chin ups, +13kg
- 8 pull ups, bodyweight
- 8 pull ups, bodyweight
- 5 pull ups, bodyweight
dips was hard, but maybe a little bit better than in previous workout. I did 10 regular, 8 straight bar, 8 regular, 8 regular, 7 regular dips.
Fifth workout – max pull ups testing day. I did it during my lunch break, when nobody disturb me. Did proper warm up. I knew, that I will not be able to break my last month’s record, but my plan was to sqeeze out 12 pul ups this time.
I did 40 pull ups in total:
- 13 pull ups, bodyweight
- 5 pull ups, +13kg
- 8 pull ups, bodyweight
- 7 chin ups, bodyweight
- 7 pull ups, bodyweight
Dips. I did 11 regular, 8 straight bar, 8 regular, 7 regular and then I felt pain in middle part of my chest. It was -2℃ outside, and few centimeters of snow and possibly, my chest was not warmed up enough or stretched enough. So I stopped doing dips for this workout immediately.
As I supposed, my max pull ups decresead during this month. Last couple of months my progress was +2 reps monthly, but this month it was -1 rep. But positive note is, that it looks like I got a little bit used to the new conditions. It was some shock for muscles at start, but now it looks better. Of course, my endurance is not as good as usualy, and I feel more fatique after workout. Muscle pain has returned, similar as it is after very first training. It is also common side effect of statins.
Anyway, I feel much safer when I take statins, because health is the most important thing. And I believe, my strenght and endurance will increase again in future.