« Build Strength And Muscle With YouTube? | Home | Snacks That Build Muscle »
The Sneaky Symptoms Of Overtraining
By Matt (The Average White Dude) | July 10, 2008
First time here? Have a look around. If you like what you see, sign up in the blue box to receive an email whenever there’s a new blog post.
(RECOMMENDED)
Did you know that skipping workouts can actually help you build muscle at a faster pace?
It seems counter-intuitive, but taking breaks from training can actually get you to your goals faster than if you trained non-stop.
Forcing yourself to work-out when you are on the edge of over-training is a mistake.
Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult to accurately gauge the symptoms of over-training.
In this article I’ll break-down a real world example of how I recognized the symptoms of over-training and what I did to get back on track.
First let me clear up a common mis-conception:
Some people think that over-training only happens when you are training too often.
But over-training can occur even when training on an abbreviated schedule.
The Symptoms of Over-Training
(A Real Life Example):
On Saturday morning, I finished up a brutal leg training session. Because I’m trying to break through a current sticking-point in my squats, I’m doing half-squats with 100lbs more than I usually use for my full squats.
This puts a tremendous amount of stress on my central nervous system.
Anyway, I started to get a very slight sore throat on Saturday evening. At first I thought I was just thirsty but after drinking some water my throat was still a bit tender.
On Sunday, my throat was still a tiny bit sore. It had not gotten better… but if I was actually getting sick it probably would have gotten worse by this point.
I realized that I was probably on the verge of over-training and I decided to take a week off from training.
Here’s How I Recovered:
As I said, first I decided to "be lazy" for one week.
Next, I made sure I loaded up on Vitamin C. I took between 5-10 grams per day. Vitamin C counter-acts free radicals and boosts the immune system. Important functions when trying to come back from the brink of over-training.
I also adjusted my eating habits. Previously I was consuming a lot of calories and a high-level of protein because I am currently trying to add more size.
But I also wanted to give my digestive system a break. So I started using partial-fasts (a concept discussed in the book Maximum Muscle, Minimum Time, available here.)
So for a few days I ate very little food during the day, allowing my digestive system to rest. (I then ate whatever I wanted after 6pm).
The Key:
Recognize Over-Training Symptoms E-A-R-L-Y
If you recognize the symptoms of over-training early on, you can nip the problem in the bud and get right back on track by taking a short break from training.
However, if you try to fight through the symptoms, what started out as mild over-training can quickly turn into a full-blown flu. And that can set you back months in your training.
Remember, the symptoms of over-training are different for everyone but here are a few warning signs to consider:
*Sore throat
*Joint pain
*General lethargy
*Lack of motivation
*Naseau or lack of appetite
*More muscle soreness than usual
*Impaired motor skills (dropping items, tripping, clumsiness)
It’s also important to note that the likelihood of over-training seems to increase as you grow older.
I don’t remember ever feeling over-trained when I was 18. But now, it seems to happen a little more often.
This could be a symptom of age… or it could be a result of strength. I am using much heavier weights now than even a few months ago and this could be causing more stress on my nervous system.
It makes sense that lifting 300 lbs will be tougher on the body than lifting 100 lbs.
Don’t Ignore The Pit Stops
If a race car driver tried to finish the race without making a pit stop, he’d probably blow out all four tires and run out of gas.
As a result, he’d come in dead last.
But by making prudent pit stops, he can actually finish the race in the fastest possible time.
Follow the same example in your training. Make prudent "pit stops" in order to reach your goals in less time.
Topics: Staying Healthy, Articles |