Overtraining???

**Rekd** · 11-25-2004, 11:58 PM

I am currently training with limited time and equipment, but I am concerned that I am overtraining. Each session only lasts for about 20 - 25 minutes, as I cannot get any more time in a day to do it.
I am only targeting some specific groups at present - biceps, triceps, lats and pecs.

My split is currently like this:

Monday - 100 push-ups in one hundred seconds. Simply put, you do as many pushups as possible, and then you rest for a period. This period (in seconds), is the number of push ups you managed, subtracted from 100. After resting, you do as many as you can again, and then rest for the TOTAL (cumulative) number of pushups you have managed, subtracted from 100. This goes on until you have completed 100 push ups. Sounds easy, but by 80 or so, I can only do 3 or 4 at a time. By the end, your chest and tri's are absolutely smashed.

Tuesday - 3 sets of widegrip pullups, behind the head. I will do as many as I can unassisted, and will then finish each set with a few extra assisted reps. Then followed by 4 sets of bicep curls, with reps between 6 and 10, with all sets to failure. I have 90 seconds rest between sets, and 120 seconds rest between each exercise.

Wednesday - rest.

Thursday - 3 sets of the following: As many pushups as possible (till failure), supersetted with a flat bench press with light weights (only have about 60lbs in weights) until failure. Follow with 3 sets of skull-crushers, with weight adjusted to allow 6 - 10 reps. I have 90 seconds rest between sets, and 120 seconds rest between each exercise.

Friday - 3 sets of shoulder width chinups. I will do as many as I can unassisted, and will then finish each set with a few extra assisted reps. Then do 3 sets of widegrip pullups, behind the head. I will do as many as I can unassisted (which is usually only one or two after the chinups), and will then finish each set with 6 to 8 extra assisted reps. I have 90 seconds rest between sets, and 120 seconds rest between each exercise.

I am taking creatine, which I am told helps me recover faster. I have tried spacing it out so that I only do each group once per week, but I felt that it was too long between workouts.. Is that really the case, or am I overtraining? Given that each session is only short, I figure that I would need more workouts to help the muscles grow.

Any comments or advise would be great.

Cheers,
Rekd

**Duncans Donuts** · 11-26-2004, 12:32 AM

Umm...you are negleccting your legs - calves, hams, quads, back (forget the pullups for a second), abdominals, forearms, shoulders, and traps.

That is a horrible workout.

**mmuscle** · 11-26-2004, 08:31 AM

Hi,

I'm afraid I agree with the donut guy. The workout that you outlined seriously neglects several muscle groups. A good general routine that you might want to try can be found at:

www.everypostImakehasalinktomywebsite.com

Try it and see

mmuscle

**soxmuscle** · 11-26-2004, 10:36 AM

That is one of the worst routines I have ever seen. Lets get some weight going there, and forget the pull-ups and push-up crap.

Get a couple dumbells, hit your arms, shoulders, etc.

maybe get a bench press.

A good workout can be done in 20-30 minutes. Remember that.

**Rekd** · 11-28-2004, 05:25 PM

Gee guys - why don't you tell me what you really think...

I guess I didn't explain it sufficiently, but I am only interested in working on the particular muscle groups I listed at present, so I am not interested in working my legs etc. Also, I've got stuff all weight lifting gear, and I am trying to work with the chin-up bar and barbell that I do have. As I said previously, I only have about 60 lbs. in weights, so I am trying to use body weight to do the majority of exercises (like pull-ups) which involve alot of the muscle groups that I am trying to work on.
My biggest problem is TIME, and the advice I was hoping to get was whether or not working the same muscle group twice a week for 20-25 minutes was overtraining those muscle groups, cause sometimes it really feels like it.

Perhaps someone could suggest a better routine and split with the gear I have to work with, considering I really only want to focus on lats, biceps, triceps and chest, and I only have about 20 - 25 minutes per session.

I know I really sound like a noob, but I was heavily into this 8 or 9 years ago. I am just trying to get back into it without having to buy a couple of hundred dollars worth of gear, and without sacrificing too much time with my kids... Impossible perhaps?

Cheers,
Rekd

**pumpthatiron** · 11-28-2004, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by Rekd

Gee guys - why don't you tell me what you really think...

they did tell u what they really think...

**aztecwolf** · 11-28-2004, 05:39 PM

why don't you want to work out those other parts?

**Rekd** · 11-28-2004, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by pumpthatiron

they did tell u what they really think...

It's hard to show sarcasm with just text...

**Cold Iron** · 11-28-2004, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by aztecwolf

why don't you want to work out those other parts?

.

**Rekd** · 11-28-2004, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by aztecwolf

why don't you want to work out those other parts?

Well I do plenty of cycling, and my legs have always been my strong point. My cycling keeps good size and definition on my legs, especially quads.

As for the rest, it is all about priorities I guess. I consider those areas to be my weak points, and so I am just trying to get the best bang for my buck. This is not to say that I'll never work on my delts or abs etc., but right now I don't feel like I am in a position to make time for them.

Cheers,
Rekd

**soxmuscle** · 11-28-2004, 06:31 PM

I find it hard to believe you can't wake up or go to sleep a hour earlier or later respectively so you have 30-45 minutes to work out efficiently.

**Duncans Donuts** · 11-28-2004, 06:35 PM

Don't take this the wrong way, but if you neglect your legs, you are a complete moron.

If you don't have the equiptment, though...well, don't expect much out of any workout with only 60 pounds of weights.

**Duncans Donuts** · 11-28-2004, 06:36 PM

As an afterthought, 15-30 minutes is more than enough time for a productive workout.

**Rekd** · 11-28-2004, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

I find it hard to believe you can't wake up or go to sleep a hour earlier or later respectively so you have 30-45 minutes to work out efficiently.

It's actually more about what slot in the day I can do it. The only time is between work and dinner. That's it. No negotiation. So, I have to work with the time I have.

Does anyone have any constructive advice or suggested routines etc., and does anyone have an answer on the overtraining thing?

Cheers,
Rekd

**Duncans Donuts** · 11-28-2004, 06:54 PM

There's not much you can do with such little resistance

**Rekd** · 11-28-2004, 08:12 PM

No offense taken DD. Thanks for your opinions. At present, my legs are probablly a little large in proportion with the rest of my body, so I don't want to exaggerate that...

I agree that 15 - 30 minutes can give a good workout. Seems to be working OK for me. What about frequency though? I am thinking I should space out the workouts so that I only do the one muscle group every 5 or 6 days. What do you think?

I am looking at getting some dumbells in the next few weeks, and hopefully a few weights along with it. Any advice on what I'd need to hit my lats, other than those pullups (which seem to get no one's approval)? I actually find chin ups and pullups great, considering I can only get out 8 or 9 from full hang. Being bottom heavy only makes it harder...

Cheers,
Rekd

**Duncans Donuts** · 11-28-2004, 08:22 PM

There seems to be quite a bit of belief that in working your legs and the entire portion of your back (read: squats and deadlifts) there is significant hormonal response in the body. The activation of so much mass is typically considered benefitial to the entire system itself...

Don't get me wrong, chin ups are great (the only lat workout i do is weighted supinated shoulder width chin ups) - however, even that exercise will limit your progress without a belt you can attach weights too. The key to a great weight training program is simply in doing it progressively. You can't do the same resistance repetitively and expect any gains - you need to add weight.

Invest in a bench, a good bit of weight, and do squats / leg presses and deadlifts. You won't regret it.

**Rekd** · 11-28-2004, 09:14 PM

I agree - it is all about progression. 4 months ago, I was struggling to do 3 chinups on the first set, so I am making some progress. I will need to use some weight soon, at least on the first set. I still have a bit to go before I can bang them out with ease.

I hadn't heard about the whole-of-body benifits to squats etc. Back in the day, I use to LOOOOVE leg presses and the like, but like you said, I'll need to get a bit of weight to start deadlifts and squats...
I know I sound a little fixated on lats, but my wife go nuts for good lats, so I'm trying to put a smile on her face...

Cheers,
Rekd

**Duncans Donuts** · 11-28-2004, 09:20 PM

If you want big lats, it's all about the chinup

**Evil ANT** · 11-28-2004, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Rekd

It's hard to show sarcasm with just text...

I got it and I actually laughed out loud.

**WilliamB** · 11-28-2004, 10:20 PM

Sarcasm was quite obvious

**Rekd** · 11-28-2004, 11:32 PM

So, after all this discussion, what do you all think about how many days you should rest between workouts of a certain muscle group/s (eg. back/biceps, or chest/triceps)?

I am tending towards 4 or 5 days between workouts. I am currently doing 2 or 3 days between workouts, and I think I'm overtraining.

Rekd

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