I just looked up the steps for performing Salah. It's all recitation, as far as I can tell. Do Muslims ever talk to God, like asking for...?

You apparently not familiar with Islamic "Bida", Its Meaning: is heresy/innovation.

"Any invented act or path in the religion that is made to compete or resemble the Shari'a and that is followed for the same purpose as Shari'a is supposed to be followed."

From this definition and from the statements of Prophet about bida or innovation, we can come up with some general ideas or concepts about bida that explains this definition.

Here is a partial list to give you an idea about "doing your own thing" (bida) in Islam:

[1] Reading 6 Rakaat Naafil prayer [2+2+2], after Magreeb Prayer, on the 15th of Shabaan anf after every two Rakah reading Surah Yaseen once, then Dua Nisf E Shabaan. All this are innovations. No extra prayer is taught in Islaam for the the 15th of Shabaan, whether day or at night.

And Uttering intention for Prayer, Wudhu or Ghussl with the tongue.

[2] Saying Bismillaah when before Takbeer to start Prayer and before giving Adhaan.

[3] Actually touching the earlobes or shoulders while doing Takbeer in Prayer. When raising the hands then we have to place it on the chest and not the practice which some do: they hang it after raising then place it on the chest, this is an innovation.

[4] As for the practice in Prayer concerning where the hands are to be placed: of combining both placing and grasping at one and the same time, as some late-comers hold to he good, then there is no basis for it. The Sunnah is either to place or to grasp but not both simultaneously.

[5] To leave the hands hanging by one's sides, in Prayer is not authentically established.

[6] The placing of the hands anywhere else but the chest, in Prayer, is either inauthentic or has no basis.

[7] Imaam remaining silent after recitation of Faatihah, so that the Muswallis recite it, this is not established in the Sunnah.

[8] It is an innovation in Prayer, to raise the index finger just when saying "ashadu an laa ilaaha illAllaah", in Tashahhud. What is Islamic is to agitate it, making supplication with it, from the start to the end of the Tashahhud. It is also incorrect if we agitate the forefinger but stop agitating it when saying "Ashadu an laa ilaaha illAllaah". But it must continuously be agitated, even when saying "Ashadu an laa ilaaha illAllaah".

[9] To raise index finger when standing for Prayer while the Muazzin is saying "Ashadu an laa ilaaha illAllaah" in Iqaamah or Adhaan, I do not find any saheeh hadeeth supporting this practice. What is obvious is that this is an innovation.

[10] There is no saheeh or hasan hadeeth teaching to kiss thumbs and pass it on eyes when hearing the Muazzin mentioning the name of Prophet, in Adhaan.

[11] There is no proof that the Prophet said any du'ah during Wudhu whilst washing or wiping his limbs, etc. Any such du'ahs that are known are innovation and have no basis.

[12] Reciting Surah Al-Qadr after finishing wudho is something for which there is no basis, thus an innovation.

[13] Wiping the neck during Wudhu is an innovation.

[14] There is no specific Du'ah for when starting Ghusl and during Ghusl but it is recommended to say Bismillaah when beginning Ghusl. Thus any duah apart from saying Bismillaah or during Ghusl, is an innovation.

[15] Reciting Laa Ilaaha IllAllaah or Naat while following a funeral procession is an innovation.

[16] It is recommended to throw three handfuls of dirt in the grave but as for reciting the verse "From it We created you, and into it We shall send you back, and from it will We raise you a second time" [Soorah TaaHaa: 55], then this must not be done because the hadeeth teaching this practice, is not authentic but extremely weak and Ibn Hibbaan even declared it as a fabrication.

[17] Calling Adhaan after burying the deceased is a reprehensible innovation.

There are hundreds more, but this is the degree of specificity demanded in Islam- which certainly negates the possibility of a personal relationship with God, let alone being Allah's slave and praying innovatively.

The aim of salat is to have the Muslims recite passages of the Qur'an and, by rote, memorize it and have the Message ingrained in their minds.

Praying for someone or something is done separately in what is called the du'a.

If you are familiar with Christianity, then, you might understand this better. Salat is like the Mass, only it's done daily, unlike the Wednesday and Sunday in Christianity. Du'a is a supplication done in private. Muslims do not have prayer groups like the Christians.

As to the question - Do Muslims ever talk to God ...? the answer is No.

There is a big difference between the concept of God in Christianity and Islam. In Christianity, God is the Holy Father and the children can always ask Him for Help. In Islam, Allah is the Master of the Slaves - the Muslims. A Slave doesn't ask the Master for anything but Mercy.

And, the fact is that, in Islam, everything is ritual. The prayer is ritual, the way they eat is ritual, they even have a complete Muslim Toilet Ritual. And even a ritual of how they go to bed. It's emulating whatever Mohammed said or did. And I am not kidding. See for yourself.

http://www.myreligionislam.com/detail.asp?Aid=6096

Like this, you can get step by step instructions as to how to follow the ritual for everything if you ask in those sites.

Don't ask me what's the sense in doing all that, because, honestly, I think it's ridiculous.

Asking for strength is no use... you got to born with it like our belived prophet pbuh. According to sahih al bukari prophet had the strength of thirty. (Men)

Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet used to visit all his wives in a round, during the day and night and they were eleven in number." I asked Anas, "Had the Prophet the strength for it?" Anas replied, "We used to say that the Prophet was given the STRENGTH of thirty (men)." And Sa'id said on the authority of Qatada that Anas had told him about nine wives only (not eleven). (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 5, Number 268)

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

The Prophet used to visit all his wives in one night and he had nine wives at that time. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 5, Number 282; see also parallel hadiths in Vol. 7, Book 62, Numbers 6 and 142)

Muslims do not have a relationship with God

everything they do is ritual

You may pray after fajr or ishaa regularly for a week and in shaa Allah your problem will be solved. We can talk to Allah any time and get answers some times.