probably need to give it a rest always trying to lift as hard as possible and eat as much as possible, you will be surprised how fast you bounce back and ready to go at it again.
that's what usually happens, workload in the gym goes up you food intake go up and so on, until you are maxed out and then keeping at it until you burn out severely. that used to always happen to me, in terms of what you can do. then you should to take a break if you can make yourself to take a break that's hardest part.
How long would you say is needed? This sounds like me. And yes, taking a break is very, very hard! I need to see progress, so that's why I've set myself up with a goal that heads in the opposite direction.
ok im gonna tell you how it is, you have not been bodybuilding for 8 years. bodybuilding is about training the whole physique and matching the whole thing together. you do not train legs. in your mind you might think so, but belive me you dont. you want to be lean and just look good from the waist up. thats fine, allot of guys have this goal and its ok. but you are and never were bodybuilding. ok., now if your lean look is your goal, stop eating immediately, do cardio and thats all.
you dont need drugs to be 185 with stick legs. ok. so stop crying and get on the fucking stepmill, or something. and stop fucking eating.
LOL I train legs! You have to understand how pathetic my legs used to be... I literally could not tell I had any muscle on them. I would press into them and hit bone immediately. Also, I have had very horrible squat technique for many years which never allowed me to lift more than 315, or 4 plates a side on the hacksquat. I think I've corrected my technique, but lots of damage has been done in my lower back, which I think needs some serious time to heal. They measure 26 in. from 4 inches above the knee. I realize I have weak legs though, and weak arms. I wanted desperately to bring up all my bodyparts to the same level but I've had enough. Maybe next time.
You look great in the second pic. I don't understand why you wanted to move away from that physique in the first place
At that time I had no legs, and I was very very small. That pic is misleading. I weighed 185 probably 8% bf at 6'3". I agree, from the front with no shirt I looked decent to the average person. But I wanted to look like a bodybuilder! I wouldn't mind looking like that now, especially as I have a more even physique overall these days.