Two questions: sudden loss of strength and nagging injury

[TRDE59]

Okay, first off, I have had bicep tendonitis (I think that's what it is) for a while now. I started doing prehab work and extra warm-ups for my joints, but that didn't help. Finally, I took 3 weeks off from all lifting with my biceps, including bench press . I come back, and try to bench press and do light weight, high reps for a while. The pain/weakness is back, now, and even WORSE than before. How is that possible, when I took 3 weeks off and came back relatively easily?

Also, I've had a sudden dramatic loss of strength in my squats. I don't know why. It's not from overtraining, (I took a week off squats about two weeks ago to rest). And to give you an idea of what it's like, at my peak (about a month ago) I did 390x5. Now I can barely get 300x5. What's the deal?

Yes, I'm on a cut diet (so I won't be a tub of fat when I start bulking and eating again), but I was on the SAME diet when I hit my peak. Is that just it? Did I peak? I understand sometimes you reach a certain point and then backtrack for a little while, but 90 lbs?? that's almost a 25% loss in strength! But, here's the catch. I haven't lost much strength in my deadlifts at all. Nor have I lost strength in ANY other lift. Just squats. What's the deal?

[rock_ten]

how have you been training? If it is just linearly, adding weight every week, then you must expect to burn out eventually (some people sooner than others). Do you cycle your training load at all?

[TRDE59]

how have you been training? If it is just linearly, adding weight every week, then you must expect to burn out eventually (some people sooner than others). Do you cycle your training load at all?

Yes, I do. I cycle volume/intensity and load/deload periods. I actually noticed this after a planned deload period which, in the past, usually just helped me. Now, I'm into my 3rd week after that week off, and I'm STILL not back to my full strength.