weight lifting workouts, why am i getting weaker every week?

so I was doing fine and making steady process in terms of strength in lifting weights, but then suddenly just as i hit my peak strength and was feeling great with momentum and all, the next week, I was much weaker, and then the week after that I was even weaker than the week before...and now im even worse, even though I didnt really change much in terms of diet or workout plan..why is that? did I overwork myself or is it a diet thing, not getting enough calories/energy?

Public Comments

1. To gain muscle you must eat more than you normally do while working out. Average how much you were eating before you started lifting, and add 500 calories to that. Eating too little while working out can result in muscle loss which is what we dont want to happen of course.

Also are you resting? you're only supposed to work out every other day meaning you need to rest a day between work outs. Resting is the time you're muscle repairs and grows back stronger and bigger, not when your actualy lifting the weights.

2. you probably worked out too much and didnt let your muscles rest as much as they need to. muscles develope only when you are resting.and u might not be gettin enough protein

3. You need to vary your weightlifting exercises. If you continue the same exercises every time you will have what is called the "plateau effect" and will not get any stronger, look for new exercises that work the same muscle, but maybe in a different way, or a different part of that muscle.

4. eat a lot of healthy food, chicken and fish are high in protein, when your not eating a full meal try snacking on some quaker chewy bars, they make ones with like 8 grams of protein in each serving and they dont taste like shit.

5. To get great results from weight lifting you must first put in the hardwork at the gym around 5 times a week you must eat healthy and get enough protein and carbs for your body to recover and grow the muscles. Sleep is also very important. When I work out my chest I need atleast 4 days rest to lift again if I go and lift 3 days after I find i am weaker that is beacuse I havn't let my muscles recover enough

6. It could be any number of things.

Are you eating enough?
Getting enough sleep?
Sick or stressed?
Change in daily routine?

It could also be issues with your routine. Here are examples of good routines. You could try following one of them, or just use them as examples of what a routine should look like.

Starting Strength
Bill Starr's 5x5
Wendler 5/3/1
Westside for Skinny Bastards
Sheiko
Texas Method