Over training can occur as a result of working out too often, too heavy and outside of the gym stressors, such as physically demanding jobs. Training too much and too often even if you are using perfect form will eventually wear you down and cause injury.
You can help yourself by not working out too often, no more than four times per week. You also need to put your training routine together in such a way that there is balance and not over use of muscles or muscle groups. weight training
Two workout programs that help prevent over use are these:
Exercise Program 1
- Day 1 Chest/Shoulder
- Day 2 Legs
- Day 3 Back/Traps
- Day 4 Arms
Exercise Program 2
- Day 1 Chest/Shoulder/Triceps
- Day 2 Legs
- Day3 Back/Biceps
Both of these Exercise programs, especially the second one can give extra rest and prevent muscle over use and training. You don’t want to keep hitting the same muscle group too many times in a week. If you do chest, shoulder and triceps on three different days, I feel there is too much work on the shoulders and elbow joints.
If you are over training and also using poor exercise form you are guaranteed fairly regular aches and pains and eventually serious injury that may cause you to have to stop workouts altogether.
If you are not sure that you’re over training here are some signs:
- Fatigue on a regular basis even though you are going to sleep early enough and staying in bed to rest enough.
- You feel less enthusiastic about working out. Your head says we have to work out but your body feels beat up.
- You have hit a wall in your workout. Your poundage’s are not going up and it requires more effort to keep the weight from decreasing in poundage.
- Unintended weight loss, you are trying to gain muscle but your losing weight (and I don’t mean fat).
- You feel wiped out.
- Restless sleep (you wake up a lot throughout the night).
- Your getting colds or allergy type symptoms —– often.
- If you were to get checked you may have an increase in blood pressure or heart rate.
Local soreness after a workout is normal but total body fatigue is a sign of over training. Beating yourself further into the ground once you are already tired and dragging yourself around is a FAST way to permanent injury!
Once you’re free of the more is BETTER APPROACH you will be on your way to long term progress and results that you will be able to see in the mirror. Don’t live in the gym. Workout, get out and you will soon enjoy a better body and life.
Dr. Sorrentino has a great deal of experience with body builders, fitness competitors, personal trainers, and athletes in general Questions in regards to article can be directed to Dr. Sorrentino @ 212-406-0127