Thread: Overtraining?

PS- I forgot to add, I workout six days a week and take only one complete day of rest.

i think weight training six days a week is excessive for most people....some people can handle it because of their genetics or because they are on special supplements...i recently came into the less is more theory and have added additional mass because of it...hitting bis twice a week is excessive since they get worked also when u hit ur back....they grow with rest and food...not excessive overtrainnig

Give each bodypart at least 48 hours to recover.

Get enough sleep (at least 8 hours a day).

Eat.

No, I don't think it's overtraining, I personally train 6 days per week and hit body parts twice... I make better gains this way.

I call "gains" 20-30lbs of muscle for the first year about right, i like to see a natural average guy do that doing 6 days a week training each body part twice a week, then it depends if you call "gains" how ripped your muscles look and not the size of them which i personally don't as i am not a girl

planned overtraining can lead to great benifits. go ahead and do your two days a week per bodypart.
at first, its not overtraining. its just overtraining when your body doesnt handle it anymore. when you start to notice the signs of overtraining, slow down.
i personally train my arms twice a week. sometimes three times a week. they just heal quickly. if you heal fast, youre good to go.

Originally Posted by BritChick

No, I don't think it's overtraining, I personally train 6 days per week and hit body parts twice... I make better gains this way.

That's interesting BritChick! Can you give an example of your weekly training, your schedule? I made some pretty decent gains hitting body parts twice a week - one training day, every other day for a total of 4 workouts in 7 days. I'm thinking of doing that again, it's almost time to change up my program. Thanks.

I personally train body parts about twice per week on average. How can you tell if you are a fast healer or not?

Originally Posted by DirtyDino

I personally train body parts about twice per week on average. How can you tell if you are a fast healer or not?

you just have to know your own body. dont try to get analytical on it or anything... are you sore and tired/weak, or not? thats how i tell..

twice a week is fine for some people. but arms are not a muscle you want to be giving that much volume to, unless of course you are giving a proportional amount of work to the important bodyparts.

like someone else said, a higher volume plan that will eventually lead into overtraining is not always bad. you hit it hard for say 3 weeks, then just as the overtraining starts to set in, you go into a recovery phase where you can go low volume and let yourself recover. i've read of lots of programs that do that, i read the russians would go for weeks of high volume squatting like everyday or every other day and then cut the volume and let themselves heal.

its all about periodizing your training so you're not stuck doing the same shit all the time.

Originally Posted by furion joe

That's interesting BritChick! Can you give an example of your weekly training, your schedule? I made some pretty decent gains hitting body parts twice a week - one training day, every other day for a total of 4 workouts in 7 days. I'm thinking of doing that again, it's almost time to change up my program. Thanks.

Currently I am two weeks pre-contest and training a six day split, hitting certain body parts twice per week and calves three times per week - this is the first time I have ever worked my calves so hard and the first time I am actually seeing some results and development!
This is just my pre-contest split and will change post-contest, lots of super setting involved here... this seems to be really working for me for my purposes right now. Cardio is twice daily but keeping heart rate at 65% walking inclines (maxed) on the treadmill for 30 mins each session.

Mon - Chest/Calves
Tue -Quads/Hams
Wed - Back/Calves
Thu - Bis/Tris
Fri - Quads/Hams
Sat - Delts/Calves
Sun - Off

for biceps i find that they heal faster than other muscles, as with abs and calves so i'd say its fine. With the HST program you end up doing everything 3 times a week, i just finished my first cycle and its turned out well enough to go through another cycle.

If you're making gains, you're not overtraining. If you're not making gains, change something.

Originally Posted by BritChick

Currently I am two weeks pre-contest and training a six day split, hitting certain body parts twice per week and calves three times per week - this is the first time I have ever worked my calves so hard and the first time I am actually seeing some results and development!
This is just my pre-contest split and will change post-contest, lots of super setting involved here... this seems to be really working for me for my purposes right now. Cardio is twice daily but keeping heart rate at 65% walking inclines (maxed) on the treadmill for 30 mins each session.

Mon - Chest/Calves
Tue -Quads/Hams
Wed - Back/Calves
Thu - Bis/Tris
Fri - Quads/Hams
Sat - Delts/Calves
Sun - Off

Looks good BritChick; I like the way you are grouping body parts. Even with all the cardio, your program seems like it would allow for maximum recovery in between training sessions, bis after back day would be a bit tough though! Thanks a lot, you gave me an idea or two. And good luck in your competition!