AVOID OVERTRAINING FOR RAPID
GAINS IN WEIGHT & MUSCLE

By Vince Delmonte

Unfortunately for many beginning bodybuilders, a school of thought exists that says: "more is better" This attitude, taken to extremes, inextricably leads to serious injury, chronic fatigue, and muscle/weight loss. For a better way to put on rapid gains in weight and muscle, click on No Nonsense Musclebuilding by Vince Delmonte.

This philosophy of more is better is far from the truth, however...

Too much exercise, or workouts at too high an intensity, will cause over-training. That's not to say you can take it easy! Of course you must progressively make the body adapt to gradulated consistent overloads, in weights and intensity. By adding a small amount of weight gradually over a long time , even the worst genetically gifted bodybuilder can make progress.

Where the problem comes in, is when the intensity is too high, and there is a lack of rest. The trick is to find the right balance, between workout volume and intensity, and rest and relaxation. That's exactly the problem we will now tackle, in this article.

THE EFFECTS OF OVER-TRAINING ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM


Let's look at the effects of over-training, and how to avoid the deleterious effects.

Effects of over-training on the central nervous system

Both parts of the central nervous system: pathetic, and parasympathetic, are effected negatively, by over-training in the following ways:

• higher resting pulse
• poor appetite
• early fatigue
• restlessness
• elevated metabolic rate
• sleeping problems
• high blood pressure
• weight loss

If you ae suffering from one or more of the above symptoms, it's time to reevaluate your training regimen.

EFFECTS OF OVER-TRAINING ON HORMONE LEVELS

Both the hormone levels, and their response, can be negatively impacted by overtraining. Hormones play a important role in muscle growth, so it's negative effects slow muscle growth.

Over-training can cause the following:

• Decreased testosterone levels
• Decreased thyroxine levels
• Increased cortisol levels

 Elevated cortisol/decreased testosterone = loss of muscle tissue.

OVERTRAINING EFFECTS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

The immune system is your bodies first defense against harmful viruses and bacteria. Overtraining decreases the number of antibodies and lymphocytes in your body, making you susceptible to illness. Once you are sick, your body becomes weak, and your weights feel heavier. You become demoralized, and often stop training altogether. This is a bag we don't want to be in.

WHAT'S WORSE? OVER-TRAINING WITH CARDIO OR WEIGHT TRAINING?

You don't want either one, but weightlifting overtraining is more stressful on the body.

Why?

• A muscle can't grow, unless it recovers from the previous workout.If you resume training on a muscle still recovering, muscle growth won't occur. You could get weaker! You have wasted your time. If you had watched TV instead of exercising, you'd have gotten better results!
• As pointed out earlier, over training with weights make your nervous sytem (hormone and immune) weak.
• Overtraining with weights cause fatigue, which  motivates beginners to turn to drugs or supplements.

Except for professional swimmers, bikers, or marathon runners/triathlelon, who train for at least two hours, it is much easier to overtrain lifting weights.

OVERTRAINING'S TELL TALE SIGNS  

The signs of overtraining are rather simple to observe. Any of these should raise a red flag!

• Many body builders will take a week or more off, now and then, just to make sure they are fully recovered.

Another variable is to track the progress of your workouts.

HAS PERFORMANCE IMPROVED OVER THE PREVIOUS WORKOUT?

Let's say last week you did 12 pull-ups, but this week only 10. You are two reps down from last week's maximum. You could be overtraining. You should strive to increase performance each workout.

This requires a constant reasessment, and modification, to insure you progress every workout.

WAYS TO PREVENT OVER-TRAINING

Avoiding overtraining requires a multi-fold approach. You have to figure out the intensity, training volume, right foods, and the amount of rest. Let's take a detailed look at each.

PROPER TRAINING VOLUME

Training volume includes sets, reps, and weight used. You have to experiment and learn to use common sense, but the goal is clear. To improve each and every workout.

Many beginners start their workout and realize something is wrong. Their lifts are much lower than last time, and theyfeel weak. The dilemma is: "Do I lower the volume, or go home"? Hard as it may seem, the right thing, is to go home and recooperate.  You'll be up to full speed for the next workout.

CORRECT EATING

Nutrition is important for hormone regulation, energy, and the building-blocks used in tissue repair.

NUTRITIONAL TIPS FOR GAINING WEIGHT AND MUSCLE

• Eat a good breakfast. Skipping breakfast is catabolic, and leads to diminished muscle tissue. 
• Don't go hungry. Try to eat five or six meals a day, to prevent catabolism.
• To gain muscle and lose fat, make sure you have eaten before a workout.
• Eat your largest meal, within one hour after your workout. Do this every single day. Keep emergency nutritious foods on standby, like tuna fish, bananas, milk, raw eggs, so if you have to, you can whip up something fast.
• Take proven supplements like creatine and anti-oxidants, to speed up performance, and fight free-radicals.

REST & RECOVERY

You want at least 7 hours of consistent sleep each day. 8-9 is better. Make sure you have a day's rest between weight lifting workouts. Never train the same muscle groups on consecutive days.
For a complete nutritional and exercise program click on No Nonsense Musclebuilding by Vince
Delmonte.