Yesterday I was supposed to lift heavy.
Instead? I felt like a hungover raccoon crawling out of a Taco Bell dumpster.
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Maybe it was the combo of all the heavy events going on in the world, approaching Sept 11, or that my arse got welded to the couch for 40 min doomscrolling IG.
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Whatever the reason, lifting heavy was not going to happen no matter how much coffee or pre-workout I snorted.

So I pivoted.

Cardio instead of clanging iron.
Was it optimal? Nah.
Was it smarter than dragging my CNS through a wood chipper? Hell yes.

Here are the two tools that have kept me in the trenches for decades when life swings a sledgehammer at my skull. I use these all the time with my online M3 1-1 clients too.

1. The Pivot Protocol

The split I program many many times for clients is boring on paper:

• M/W/F: Lift
• T/Th/Sat: Cardio
• Sunday: Rest (aka long walks and “cardiac dev”)

But the secret sauce isn’t the schedule—it’s the flex.
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Yesterday was supposed to be axle deadlifts+ Inch DB lifting and breathing through my eye sockets. Instead, I swapped cardio up a day.

Yeah, that means back-to-back lifting now.

The point? By week’s end the ledger still balances.
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Volume hit.
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Quality higher.
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No ego lifting through sludge-mode fatigue.

That’s not weakness. That’s strategy.
Consistency = adaptability, not rigidity. Flipping days allows higher quality work over the course of time .

2. Asymmetric Rest Periods (ARP)

Tuesday I was dragging harder than a drunk toddler at Disneyland.
Instead of sticking to a timer like some masochist CrossFit judge, I stretched my rest periods ala ARP.

Result:

• 95 lb dumbbells x 7 reps bench
• 85s x 6 reps incline
• Bunch of rows and other Doooode Bro upper body fun

Same workload, just more oxygen between sets.

Physiology 101: Rest isn’t laziness. It’s resynthesis of phosphocreatine, CNS recalibration, and enough ATP in the tank to not fold like a wet pool noodle.

If you’re still toast after warm-up and ARP tweaks? Pivot to novelty (isometrics, mobility work or a completely different exercise).
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If that still sucks? Pull the plug. Live to fight another day.

...Because hammering yourself into moon dust every session doesn’t build resilience—it gets your orthopedic surgeon a fancier car.

The Takeaway

Consistency doesn’t mean being a robot.
It means navigating chaos with flexible systems that keep the progress bar moving.
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Intelligent violent consistency,

Much love,
– Dr. Mike
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PS – If your joints feel like soggy spaghetti when you try to pivot, prime them with Bubs Collagen. Full disclosure -I am an affiliate but love it as my tendons creak less, and my Inch DB attempts hurt more in the good way. hahha

_____________________

Mike T Nelson CISSN, CSCS, MSME, PhD
Associate Professor, Carrick Institute
Owner, Extreme Human Performance, LLC
Editorial Board Member, STRONG Fitness Mag

Mike T Nelson is a PhD and not a physician or registered dietitian. The contents of this email should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

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