What is Overtraining? Let’s start off with a quick definition of overtraining.

Overtraining occurs when you push your body too hard and pass the point that your body is able to recover from. To make gains you must overload the muscles and then allow adequate time for recovery and growth by resting. Overtraining occurs when either the overload is too high, or the rest period aka recovery time is too low.

Workout Intensity

Now, you must train with a high enough intensity to overload the muscles which cause’s tiny tears to occur in the muscle fibres. After training these tears start to repair and then grow back slightly larger than before when your body has fully recovered from training.

Training with an intensity that is too low, for example not completing enough sets, or not using enough weight will not effectively break down the muscle fibres meaning no growth will occur as the fibres will not grow back larger and stronger than before if they have not been effectively overloaded during training… If the muscles can handle the weight that is being moved easily then there is no need for them to grow bigger and stronger.. So they won’t!

On the other hand training with an intensity that is too high will cause the muscle fibres to break down past a point of recovery, meaning the tears in the muscle are more severe and will require days of rest, or even weeks and months of rest and therapy in some more severe cases of over training.

When the intensity of your training is too high you are not allowing the muscles enough time to recover and rebuild. Over training can occur from training a muscle group before it has had time to fully recover from a previous session, such as training each body part 2-3 times per week… After you have finished training, the muscles that you worked will take usually somewhere between 24-48 hours to recover from training. It is only AFTER this period of recovery that any growth occurs, this is why for example training your arms on a Monday and again on a Wednesday is not recommended as although you may feel ok and ready to train them again and any soreness from the previous workout may have gone, the reality is that the muscles have only just entered the window of time in which any growth will occur, and working the same muscles again will break them back down and prevent any growth.

Less is More

Many people are under the impression that more is better, however this is often not the case when trying to gain muscle. To break this down and make it a little easier to understand, think of digging a hole, the time that you spend in the gym training is equivalent to digging a hole, the time your body needs after to recover from training is how long it takes to re-fill the hole, and piling a mound of dirt on top of the hole is growth of the muscle. So, you can pile extra dirt on top ONLY when the hole has been re-filled, which takes time! If you dig a hole that is too deep, it will take too long to re-fill… and there will be no time to place extra dirt on top… this means no muscle growth!! Training a body part 2 days in a row would be equivalent to digging one hole, and then continuing to dig the same hole even deeper the next day… you will never have the chance to pile any dirt on top which means you will never gain any muscle training like this. In fact you are moving backwards, you will probably be losing muscle and almost certainly over training!

How Many Sets Should I do?

The key is to find a balance between training with a high enough intensity to break down the muscle fibers without training so much that your body cannot recover from the training. This will vary from person to person and there is no exact routine of method of training that will guarantee the best results for everybody, you have to find what works for your own body. I often see people asking how many sets they should complete for each muscle group and although each individual is different and there are no exact numbers that will work for everyone I can give a recommended set range for each muscle group, this is aimed at those who are training for muscle gains and have some background training under their belt, preferably at least some sort of beginners routine for 10 weeks or so. Larger muscle groups like back and legs can obviously be trained with more sets than the smaller muscle groups like biceps that can get an intense workout from just a few exercises. Another common mistake of overtraining is hitting the biceps with too many sets, you could walk into almost any gym and find someone doing 20 odd sets on their biceps being under the incorrect impression that ‘more is better’.

Even without supplements or steroids, you can increase your strength exponentially over time if you consistently follow a weight training program. To gain strength you must strive to increase the amount of weight or amount of reps with the same weight you’re working out with on each exercise. Over time these small increases in weight and reps will add up. You should keep a workout log and write down the exact reps and weight you do on every exercise and try to do just a little more at the next workout. For example, if you did a 10 rep bench press with 150 lbs. during your last chest workout, you should try to either get 10 reps with 155 lbs. or 11 reps with 150 lbs. the next workout. Don’t despair if you don’t get the weight or rep increase at every single workout, if you keep trying you’ll eventually get it. Some gyms also have small magnet weights that weigh 1.25 lbs. so you can try to increase the weight you’re using by 2.5 lbs. instead of 5 lbs. If you can’t get an increase in weights or reps during your workouts you may be overtraining. Make sure the bodypart your working out isn’t still sore from your last workout, as it will be counter-productive to gaining strength.

Avoid Overtraining

What is overtraining? lets start off with a quick definition of overtraining. Overtraining occurs when you push your body too hard and pass the point that your body is able to recover from. To make gains you must overload the muscles and then allow adequate time for recovery and growth by resting. Overtraining occurs when either the overload is too high, or the rest period aka recovery time is too low, or it could be as simple as poor nutrition.

Nutrition

It really isn’t much of a big secret, but the quickest route to gaining strength is to gaining weight. If you’re not gaining weight, you’re not eating enough. You need to determine how many calories you’re taking in. Weigh yourself on day 1 first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Keep track of all the calories you eat for 14 days. On day 15 weigh yourself again, if your weight has not changed by plus or minus 2 pounds this will work. Add up the calories for each day and divide by 14. The nleepriestumber you come out with is how many calories you need to eat each day to maintain your current body-weight. Now to start gaining weight you need to add 300-500 calories to this number. Go 7 days then weigh yourself again. Slowly up the calories until you see an increase in weight. Only try to gain 1-2 pounds a week. More than this on a consistent basis will lead to more increases in fat than muscle. Check your progress every 4 weeks with skin-fold calipers and a cloth tape measure. If you’re desperately thin, a 10-pound increase consisting of 5 pounds of fat & 5 pounds of muscle is okay. A 2:1 ratio of muscle to fat would be ideal. Don’t be afraid of increases in fat. As long as it’s not settling solely around your waist you’re okay.

The 7 basic components of nutrition:

• Calories: Besides what was mentioned earlier, you should be eating at least 6 times a day every 2-3 hours. (A rough example would be 7:00am, 10:00am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm, and 10pm.)
• Protein: 1 Gram per pound of body-weight. popular choices are chicken, turkey, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, milk, whey protein, lean cuts of red meat, and fish
• Carbs: 2.5 to 3 Grams per pound of body-weight. popular choices are whole grain brown rice, sweet potatoes, veggies, beans, whole grain breads and cereals, and yams.
• Fats: 20-30% Of total caloric intake. good fats can be found in meat, fish, canola and olive oil, nuts, seeds, legumes, and sesame and soybean oil.
• Water: 1 Gallon a day.
• Fiber: 20-35 Grams daily.
• Vitamins & Minerals: This is easily covered with a daily multivitamin.

Weight Training

Get in, workout, get out, and then get plenty of rest and nutrients before next training session. Take at least 1 day off between workouts, 2 would be better. This would have you training every 3rd day. I strongly recommend taking a look at Rippetoes 5×5 routine. You can find it on my site Here.

The Dictionary states:

Overtraining is a common problem in weight training, but it can also be experienced by runners and other athletes. It occurs when the volume and intensity of the exercise exceeds an individual’s recovery capacity. They cease making progress, and can even begin to lose strength and fitness.

Since New Years, Jennifer has found her fitness grove. She said her good-byes to her late night TV programs and processed food munching, and hello to a new life. In fact Jennifer has done a complete lifestyle change choosing foods that are in their natural state or in the least amount of packaging possible, in other words, unprocessed.

Standing 5’5″ and weighing155 lbs Jennifer has already lost 10lbs. Her mind is focused on reaching her goal weight of 125lb. To help her reach her goal, Jennifer is training two days on and one day off, and is in and out of the gym in about an hour. This training split is allowing plenty of time for her body to rest. Jennifer is feeling great!

Fast forward six months; Jennifer is not feeling so hot. We can pat her on the back for attaining her goal weight of 125lbs, but can she? This past month people have complimented on how fit she is looking but commented that she also appeared tired. “Are you getting enough sleep? You haven’t been yourself lately.” Her friends are concerned and they have every right to be.

Jennifer’s training program has increased to six days week, with Sundays as her jogging only days. Each morning she sets her alarm an hour early to make time for her 60 minute run before work. Once her work days is done she returns to the gym for 60 min of weights and another 60 min of cardio.

Though she is tired and has little interest in spending time with friends, she is making time for her fitness. What fitness means to Jennifer today is much different then three months ago.

Jennifer is overtraining. Along with persistent fatigue and a loss of interest in her friends, she may be also experiencing these symptoms of overtraining.

The Signs:

• Persistent muscle soreness
• Elevated resting heart rate
• Increased susceptibility to infections
• Increased incidence of injuries
• Irritability
• Depression
• Loss of motivation
• Insomnia
• Decreased appetite
• Weight loss

Experiencing a loss of interest in what you once felt passion for is never fun. What causes over training?

To see improvement in ones strength and fitness they must rest. The rest period following hard training is a magical process which takes at least 36 hours to complete. By skimping on rest, complete regeneration cannot occur. If the amount of training continues to exceed the rest period, the individual’s performance will plateau and decline. If Jennifer continues to neglect the rest time her body needs she will in deed get weaker and my experience injuries.

Other physical and psychological stressors can compound the rate at which a person may experience overtraining:

• Jet Lag
• Ongoing Illness
• Overwork
• Menstruation
• Poor Nutrition

Bodybuilders and other dieters who exercise intensely while limiting their food intake often find themselves overtraining.

Though you may be focused and feeling that you need to maintain the degree at which you are training, depending on your circumstance I urge you to consider applying one or more of these solutions. Your gains will flourish, and your family and friends will be relieved and thankful.

Solutions:

1. Taking a break from training to allow time for recovery. In knowing that you may be doing more harm then good at the gym, set aside today and tomorrow a break. Some people allow one week away from fitness to revive their bodies and mind, and then when they return to training, they have more focus and are enjoying themselves again.

2. Reducing the volume and/or the intensity of the training. If you always do five sets for each exercise, why not do just two or three, and lower the weight and focused solely on form. Strengthen your mind and muscle connection by tuning into the exercise at hand.

3. Deep-tissue or sports massage of the affected muscles. A skillfully applied massage, is the most effective therapy for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the musculo-skeletal system. Received regularly massages may help athletes prevent injuries, which might otherwise be caused by overuse. A constant build-up of tension in the muscles from regular activity may lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons, as well as the muscles themselves.

4. Self-massage of the affected muscles. Self-massage, with either with your hands or a system such as the Yamunatm Body Rolling (BR) system featuring a specially designed 7″ ball will help with pain relief, and can be targeted to hamstrings, calves, knees, quads, shoulder and back; any muscle or joint. People who are stiff and inflexible, and have, or are prone to injury will benefit from BR as it elongates and massages muscles and opens and flexes joints.

5. Temperature contrast therapy. (Ice baths, hot & cold showers etc). This uses the body’s reaction to hot and cold stimuli. The nerves carry impulses felt at the skin deeper into the body, where they can stimulate the immune system, improve circulation and digestion, influence the production of stress hormones, encourage blood flow, and lessening pain sensitivity.

6. Ensuring calorie intake matches (or possibly exceeds) expenditure. When over training, the body may be depleted in various nutrients. To assist in the process of recovery, it’s important to ensure that a diet high in carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats such as omega 3 oils is met. Carbohydrates will provide the brain with fuel, the oils help relieve depression and proteins will rebuild over trained muscles.

7. Addressing vitamin deficiencies with nutritional supplements. It is essential to get vitamins from food however when overtraining is a concern, supplementation is beneficial. Supplements should be taken in addition to meals and with meals for their essential and proper absorption.

Common vitamin deficiencies include: Vitamin A (Beta-Carotene), Vitamin B Complex, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, and Folic Acid.

Common Mineral Deficiencies include: Calcium*, Chromium (GTF), Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium*, Phosphorus*, Potassium*, Sodium*, Sulfur, and Zinc. * One of the essentials in maintaining electrolyte balance.

8. Splitting the training program so that different sets of muscles are worked on different days. Once you have rested enough for your body to recover from overtraining, be smart and plan your training split ahead of time. This will help to prevent over training from occurring again. Allow at least 4 days between training a certain body part again, and always have at least one day of rest from training each week.

Training towards a goal can be very rewarding, and when seeing the results form, it’s hard to believe that one may ever go back to their old habits. Allow yourself to take a break from time to time and listen to your body. It’s when we rest that the body has time to recover, rebuild and come back stronger then before!

The human body is incredibly effective at adapting to change. This applies to all types of scenarios and situations, working out is no different. Following the same routine for a prolonged period of time will have nothing but toxic consequences to one’s mind, spirit and progress.

A plateau is literally the end result of a fitness rut that no one is immune to. The best way to get over a plateau is to look for signs of one. The most obvious of these signs is the inability to progress at one’s goals, regardless of whether its weight loss, weight gain, muscle growth or strength gains. Another sign is fatigue and low motivation. Both of these symptoms go hand in hand, as they are psychological responses by our body. They are a direct result of our inability to progress and to a lesser extent, are caused by over training.

There are several ways to prevent and get over a plateau. The following will provide you with 9 simple steps to do just that!

1. Rest! Rest! Rest!

If you have reached a plateau or think you have it is important to rest. Taking a week to ten days off from the gym can work wonders. You will come back feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. This is especially important for those individuals who feel tired and unmotivated. Remember, don’t just plant your butt in front of the couch and eat wedges – go for walks, spend time with family, do some yoga etc. This is called active resting and relaxation. Use this additional free time to do relaxing, enjoyable and constructive activities. It is important to take short breaks from working out, when one has been consistently training for 3 to 4months. These breaks should last about a week and will assist in preventing a plateau.

2. Eating Habits:

As you increase your physical activity your body’s caloric requirements will rise. This will probably be accompanied by an increase in one’s metabolism. 3 square meals a day will not cut it. Even if you’re eating 5 to 7meals/day you have to examine the nutritional value of these foods. If you find that you are hungry in between meals or throughout the day, you are seeing a clear sign of inadequate food consumption. It is also important to make sure that you are meeting your daily protein requirements. If you are looking to pack on some heavy muscle, a rule of thumb is to eat about 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Remember to eat moderately sized meals, every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day.

3. Change the Routine

Many people are skeptical about changing their routine. It is a norm to be hesitant of change, especially when things have gone so well in the past. The body is a beautiful object that adapts easily to the stresses it is exposed to. This is the main reason why it is important to modify one’s routine every now and then. Changing the routine doesn’t mean starting from scratch. All you have to do is take out one exercise, for a particular workout and replace it with another. You should also change the order in which you perform exercises. These two changes, though small, will shock the body and promote greater muscle growth.

A great way to prevent gains from diminishing is to systematically change one’s routine at certain fixed intervals. Changing one’s routine every 4 to 6 weeks is a great way to prevent the halting of one’s progress.

4. Stay F.I.T.

It is important to not only modify the exercises one does, but also change how one exercises. F.I.T. stands for frequency, intensity and time. These words are golden when it comes to breaking out of a plateau. They can be used to modify one’s cardio and resistance training program. Lets run through them quickly:

Frequency: It is important to increase or decrease how often you workout.

Intensity: You should try and increase or decrease the level at which you train.

Time: You should also change the length of time you train for.

5. Sleep Enough!

Working out and eating a healthy diet are very important when it comes to staying fit and building muscle, but there not your only concern. Your body regenerates and repairs muscle tissue the fastest when your sleeping. It is therefore important to get an ample amount of sleep every night. The average adult should strive for 7 to 8 hours of sleep to ensure that the body is properly rested. The amount of sleep you get has a direct effect on your energy levels as well as how you train. This is very important when it comes to building muscle, so sleep enough!

6. Keep Workouts Under an Hour

The goal of weight training is to train your muscles to stimulate growth, not murder them. When we put intense pressure on our muscles for prolonged periods of time, our bodies go into a state of catabolism (muscle breakdown). This will usually begin to happen if weight training is done for more than an hour and a half. Consistently working-out for more than an hour will result in over-training. This will lead to the weakening of one’s muscles. Studies have shown that the growth assisting hormones the body releases, peak within 30mins of exercise and decline shortly after. Always keep workouts under an hour and if you must, never train more than an hour and fifteen minutes!

7. Challenge Yourself!

Overloading our muscles results in growth and strength. It is therefore important to assess our ability to challenge ourselves. When we are working out, we must pay attention to the number of reps we perform per set, for a given exercise. If you are able to do 7 to 8 reps on the last set of a specific exercise, you are lifting too light. If you are able to get less than 4 reps, you are lifting too heavy. You must consistently increase weight whenever possible, but strive for 4 to 6 reps on the last set of an exercise.

8. Don’t Over Do It!

The only time our muscles grow is when they rest. It is important to have ample rest before working the same muscle group again. If you did an intense workout you should leave a gap of 7 days before you work that muscle group again. If your muscles are not well rested, they will become overworked and you will become weaker as a result.

9. When Building Muscle, Don’t Go All Out on the Cardio!

When we are training our muscles, we should be doing just that – training them. A common mistake people make when trying to build muscle is to burn fat at the same time. This unfortunately does not work. Keep your cardio limited to 20 to 30mins per session and limit yourself to 3 to 4 sessions per week. Cardio sessions that are too long will negatively affect the body’s muscle building abilities. Studies have also shown that prolonged cardio sessions reduce testosterone production.

A plateau is never an enjoyable experience. It can be frustrating and emotionally draining. By paying closer attention to our bodies and the things we do, we can limit or eliminate the potential for hitting a plateau. We all face challenges in this world, working out is no different. By staying motivated, listening to our bodies and consistently pushing ourselves harder, we can accomplish anything!