Overtraining??

[LegioTitan]

Howdy howdy,

So a few weeks ago, mayhap 5, I started showing all of the signs of overtraining. Constantly tired, dreading the gym, feeling weak, no progress. So I took about 5 days off and started using cellmass to hopefully help with recovery. After the rest I got right back on my usual scheduel which is a four day cycle with the fourth day occasionally being just rest and no exertion at all.

Well I'm starting to feel the same symptoms all over again so my question is, does it normally happen this close together? Am I doing something poorly? Any ideas as to what may be wrong?

Thanks alot,
MRFN Hartley

[.V.]

Your 4 day training cycle - is that over and over again? Do you have at least 2 scheduled days off each week?

If you are doing high freqency workouts ie full body each time you lift and doing 3-4 days a week then you need 3 or 4 days off EVERY WEEK.

If you are doing high intensity where you are lifting really heavy for fewer reps and doing each body part weekly then you need at least 2 full days off EVERY WEEK.

If you don't take this rest time you'll overtrain more quickly. The CNS can get overtaxed more easily than the muscles it seems. If there's a way to overtrain and sabotage your results - I've tried it...and they all seem to work very well to me. Sounds like you need a real rest and more time off each week. May need to re-evaluate your nutrition plan too. Make sure you are eating enough to support the workload, often enough, and getting the right macronutrient profile for your needs.

[LegioTitan]

The cycle goes

Day One - Chest and back
Day Two - Legs and Midsection
Day Three - Arms Shoulders and some lower back
Day Four - This day doesn't always happen because I have to stand duty but when it does I just do cardio. Jog for two minutes and sprint for one and repeat for 30 minutes or so.

Usually I consider the fourth day the rest. I thought since there were three days of rest for specific parts it would be ok but now that I look at it... I guess I'm still taxing the body no matter what I work, huh?

I don't know if I do that high of weight with my reps. I usually start with 15 then go to 12 then 10 and on some exercises down to 8 totalling 5 sets. I just step up the resistance as I go to failure or right near it.

I'm trying to cut currently so I'm doing about 2100 or so, cals a day. Fairly high fat content and about 180 grams of protein spread out throughought the day. I am 5' 7" and weigh 158-160.

My duty days make it very hard to make a schedule that doesn't revolve around not being able to go to the gym on that 4th day. I am, however, about to transfer duty stations out of IL and go to Ms so mayhap that will change. So do I simply need to try and fit in another day of rest ?

Thanks for the input,
MRFN Hartley

[.V.]

I also am on duty every 4th day. I do a fullbody workout every other day using submaximal weights - only going to max for every lift at about the end of every two weeks - every 6th workout. This gives me 3 days one week. 4 days the next. So far, since starting this, I haven't overtrained and have grown a bit since starting it. Not too bad for an old guy.

[ebon00]

Originally Posted by LegioTitan

Usually I consider the fourth day the rest. I thought since there were three days of rest for specific parts it would be ok but now that I look at it... I guess I'm still taxing the body no matter what I work, huh?

Every day is CNS day.

[.V.]

Originally Posted by ebon00

Every day is CNS day.

Hadn't actually seen it put that way before. Quite true though.

[DarkLord]

I agree with A Welch and have also read Mike Mentzer's High Intensity Training book which also states on keeping the sets down to two or three and with greater intensity and possibly the most important part is to avoid getting carried away training more even if you feel you have great energy.