I think I might be overtraining

troubador · 06-29-2009, 06:19 PM

I've been doing a push/pull/legs split where I workout two consecutive days then rest one day and so on(it's not based on a calender week). This results in me only having three days between the same workout. I'm starting to think this is too much and that I should have more days rest somewhere in my routine. Am I lifting too frequently?

I could just lift every other day or I could base it on a calender week by lifting on Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri and resting on the other days(this would result in repeating one workout a week but still give me an extra day of rest). What do you guys think? Let me know if I need to post the full routine break down.

**P-funk** · 06-29-2009, 09:44 PM

Training volume, and more specifically over-training, are highly variable and dependent on the individual and several other factors.

patrick

DIVINITUS · 06-29-2009, 09:57 PM

You might want to post some more info like reps, sets, intensity, etc. The more you share, the more help you'll get around here.

Leviathan · 06-29-2009, 10:43 PM

I would say depending on the intensity, and whether you're performing compound or isolation exercises.....

Just make sure you're eating above what you usually do, and perhaps document your lifts; make sure you're sleeping a lot too, enjoy..

**Merkaba** · 06-29-2009, 10:52 PM

Not enough info. Hell you could be undertraining based on what you told us.

Kevsworld · 06-30-2009, 01:05 AM

Are you getting bigger and stronger?

gtbmed · 06-30-2009, 08:54 AM

Do you have symptoms of overtraining? As kevs said, are you gaining or losing strength? Are you sleeping well?

powerlifter316 · 06-30-2009, 10:10 AM

I echo what other people said, not enough information. Why do think this is overtraining? Are you actually feeling run-down, or did you just read somewhere that will "surely" overtrain if you do that routine? If you're gaining weight, and you strength is improving, you are probably not overtraining to any appreciable degree.

troubador · 06-30-2009, 12:40 PM

Ok, here you go.

Push Day:
Flat BB Bench- 4 sets
Military BB Press- 4 sets
Decline DB Press- 4 sets
Arnold Press- 4 sets
DB Lateral Raises- 3 sets
Close grip/spaced Pushups or Cable Tricep Pushdowns- 3 sets

Pull Day:
Chin Ups- 4 sets
BB Bent Rows- 4 sets
Wide Grip cable Lat PullDowns- 4 sets
Single Arm DB Rows- 4 sets
DB Rear Lateral Raises- 3 sets
BB Curls- 3 sets

Legs:
Full BB Squat- 4 sets
Leg Extensions- 4 sets
Straight Leg Deadlifts- 4 sets
DB Walking Lunges- 3 sets
Single Leg Calve Raises- 2-3 sets
Hip Abduction with resistance bands

Ab work is done every other workout. I try to do between 6-10 reps for
most exercises.I also try to go to maximum exertion at some point for
each exercise.
I haven't been making the gains in strength like I should. I've been
making gains but I feel like it should be more.

I started working out again in April after a long hiatus. I was getting soft. I'm 6'5" and started out in April at around 210lbs and am now at 198lbs. But I've been around 198 for a 2 or 3 weeks now. My diet has been very good as far as the type of foods I eat but I haven't been strict on counting macros. I think my bf% is around 14 or 14.5%; I have some cheap digital calipers and I also tested my BF% on one of those Omron bioelectical impedance testers and got around 14% on both devices(It was about 18% in April). I'm thinking since I'm a relative beginner I should be in maintenance and try slowing gain some muscle while losing some fat and then in the fall start bulking.

troubador · 07-02-2009, 08:37 AM

gtbmed · 07-02-2009, 02:31 PM

If you're not tracking your macros or your caloric intake, there's no way for us to tell you whether your inability to gain weight is the result of overtraining or undereating.

If you are at maitenence you will not gain muscle and lose fat, you will simply stay at maintenence and you may make strength gains. You say you are making strength gains, but that they are slower than your expectations. Perhaps your expectations are unrealistic, re-evaluate them or post what you think you should be gaining in terms of strength.

You very well could be overtraining with that program, but it's still hard to know based on the information given.

troubador · 07-02-2009, 04:11 PM

Alright, I'll work on my diet. Forgetting whether or not I'm overtraining for the moment... how does my routine look? Is lifting 2 out of every 3 days too much for a natural bodybuilder?

abs0lut · 07-02-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troubador

I could base it on a calender week by lifting on Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri and resting on the other days(this would result in repeating one workout a week but still give me an extra day of rest). What do you guys think? Let me know if I need to post the full routine break down.

Thats your best bet.

DIVINITUS · 07-02-2009, 05:46 PM

I gotta tell you, I was stalled for a very long time in strength AND body fat % gains/losses and it all came down to calories for me. If you don't know exactly how many calories you need to eat to gain muscle or lose fat and you don't eat to those requirements, then you won't meet your goals. I had no idea how off my intake was until after I started writing everything down. It was key for me so I really knew what I was ingesting in regards to my goals.

**P-funk** · 07-02-2009, 06:00 PM

Most people just do TOO much in the gym.

I find that if you can keep the volume low, you can do what is important with sufficient intensity to create an adaptation.

More is not better. Better is better.

patrick

troubador · 07-02-2009, 11:29 PM

Thanks, I think I'm going to go with Mon,Tue, Thur, Fri routine. I'll get my diet in order. I just gotta figure out if I want to cut down some more or start bulking.

06-29-2009, 06:19 PM	#1
troubador Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 40	I think I might be overtraining I've been doing a push/pull/legs split where I workout two consecutive days then rest one day and so on(it's not based on a calender week). This results in me only having three days between the same workout. I'm starting to think this is too much and that I should have more days rest somewhere in my routine. Am I lifting too frequently? I could just lift every other day or I could base it on a calender week by lifting on Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri and resting on the other days(this would result in repeating one workout a week but still give me an extra day of rest). What do you guys think? Let me know if I need to post the full routine break down.

06-29-2009, 09:44 PM	#2
P-funk Patrick Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: AZ Posts: 31,695	Training volume, and more specifically over-training, are highly variable and dependent on the individual and several other factors. patrick E-Book: Take Charge! Everything You Need To Know To Write Your Own Training Programs Online Consulting/Program Design Reality Based Fitness Podcast Check me out on Twitter! Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter! "In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few." -Buddha's Little Instruction Book

06-29-2009, 09:57 PM	#3
DIVINITUS It's a deep burn... Join Date: May 2003 Location: Homebase somewhere in MA Posts: 182	You might want to post some more info like reps, sets, intensity, etc. The more you share, the more help you'll get around here. "Can you please just shut the fuck up? You're blocking what could otherwise be a good thread discussion. No one cares about your shit " Juggernaut

06-29-2009, 10:52 PM	#5
Merkaba "King of Cheat Meals" Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: sc Posts: 1,625	Not enough info. Hell you could be undertraining based on what you told us. Ban 2 1/2 's !!!!!! -------------------------------------------- Some Pics. All Natural

06-30-2009, 01:05 AM	#6
Kevsworld Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 93	Are you getting bigger and stronger? Kevin StrongandFit.net

06-29-2009, 10:43 PM	#4
Leviathan Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Michigan, USA. Posts: 20	I would say depending on the intensity, and whether you're performing compound or isolation exercises..... Just make sure you're eating above what you usually do, and perhaps document your lifts; make sure you're sleeping a lot too, enjoy..

06-30-2009, 08:54 AM	#7
gtbmed Greg Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 370	Do you have symptoms of overtraining? As kevs said, are you gaining or losing strength? Are you sleeping well? gtbmed's strength journal

06-30-2009, 10:10 AM	#8
powerlifter316 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Kansas Posts: 21	I echo what other people said, not enough information. Why do think this is overtraining? Are you actually feeling run-down, or did you just read somewhere that will "surely" overtrain if you do that routine? If you're gaining weight, and you strength is improving, you are probably not overtraining to any appreciable degree.

06-30-2009, 12:40 PM	#9
troubador Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 40	Ok, here you go. Push Day: Flat BB Bench- 4 sets Military BB Press- 4 sets Decline DB Press- 4 sets Arnold Press- 4 sets DB Lateral Raises- 3 sets Close grip/spaced Pushups or Cable Tricep Pushdowns- 3 sets Pull Day: Chin Ups- 4 sets BB Bent Rows- 4 sets Wide Grip cable Lat PullDowns- 4 sets Single Arm DB Rows- 4 sets DB Rear Lateral Raises- 3 sets BB Curls- 3 sets Legs: Full BB Squat- 4 sets Leg Extensions- 4 sets Straight Leg Deadlifts- 4 sets DB Walking Lunges- 3 sets Single Leg Calve Raises- 2-3 sets Hip Abduction with resistance bands Ab work is done every other workout. I try to do between 6-10 reps for most exercises.I also try to go to maximum exertion at some point for each exercise. I haven't been making the gains in strength like I should. I've been making gains but I feel like it should be more. I started working out again in April after a long hiatus. I was getting soft. I'm 6'5" and started out in April at around 210lbs and am now at 198lbs. But I've been around 198 for a 2 or 3 weeks now. My diet has been very good as far as the type of foods I eat but I haven't been strict on counting macros. I think my bf% is around 14 or 14.5%; I have some cheap digital calipers and I also tested my BF% on one of those Omron bioelectical impedance testers and got around 14% on both devices(It was about 18% in April). I'm thinking since I'm a relative beginner I should be in maintenance and try slowing gain some muscle while losing some fat and then in the fall start bulking.

07-02-2009, 08:37 AM	#10
troubador Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 40

07-02-2009, 02:31 PM	#11
gtbmed Greg Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Atlanta Posts: 370	If you're not tracking your macros or your caloric intake, there's no way for us to tell you whether your inability to gain weight is the result of overtraining or undereating. If you are at maitenence you will not gain muscle and lose fat, you will simply stay at maintenence and you may make strength gains. You say you are making strength gains, but that they are slower than your expectations. Perhaps your expectations are unrealistic, re-evaluate them or post what you think you should be gaining in terms of strength. You very well could be overtraining with that program, but it's still hard to know based on the information given. gtbmed's strength journal

07-02-2009, 04:11 PM	#12
troubador Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 40	Alright, I'll work on my diet. Forgetting whether or not I'm overtraining for the moment... how does my routine look? Is lifting 2 out of every 3 days too much for a natural bodybuilder?

07-02-2009, 05:46 PM	#14
DIVINITUS It's a deep burn... Join Date: May 2003 Location: Homebase somewhere in MA Posts: 182	I gotta tell you, I was stalled for a very long time in strength AND body fat % gains/losses and it all came down to calories for me. If you don't know exactly how many calories you need to eat to gain muscle or lose fat and you don't eat to those requirements, then you won't meet your goals. I had no idea how off my intake was until after I started writing everything down. It was key for me so I really knew what I was ingesting in regards to my goals. "Can you please just shut the fuck up? You're blocking what could otherwise be a good thread discussion. No one cares about your shit " Juggernaut

07-02-2009, 06:00 PM	#15
P-funk Patrick Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: AZ Posts: 31,695	Most people just do TOO much in the gym. I find that if you can keep the volume low, you can do what is important with sufficient intensity to create an adaptation. More is not better. Better is better. patrick E-Book: Take Charge! Everything You Need To Know To Write Your Own Training Programs Online Consulting/Program Design Reality Based Fitness Podcast Check me out on Twitter! Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter! "In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts there are few." -Buddha's Little Instruction Book

07-02-2009, 11:29 PM	#16
troubador Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 40	Thanks, I think I'm going to go with Mon,Tue, Thur, Fri routine. I'll get my diet in order. I just gotta figure out if I want to cut down some more or start bulking.

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