Over-Training is for Wimps: How to Know if You are Over-Training

You are focused.

You have a goal and you are going to achieve it. 

You do it every day and can’t imagine not going.

It’s a stress reliever and you NEED it.

It is fantastic to be focused and to practice positive lifestyle choices. Being driven is a huge attribute and should be recognized and celebrated. However, there is a line between being driven and focused and being obsessive. Especially when it comes to physical demands of the body there is something to remember, you are not a robot.

Your body needs time to rest because that is actually when the muscle is built, through rest! All those sets in the gym, the sweat, and the pain is the act of breaking down muscle tissue through tiny tears. When your body rests it repairs these tears and builds stronger, bigger muscles. If you do not rest then the body does not have the opportunity to rebuild and strengthen. This can lead to several issues including injury, neverending soreness and even lack of results. The body is amazing and does so much of its mysterious wonders behind the scenes. This is why it is important to respect your body and its natural processes. 

Symptoms of Overtraining

–Decreased performance

–Fatigue

–Lingering injuries or soreness

–Irritable moods

–Insomnia

–Weakened immune system

–Mental fog

–Depression

–Reduced motivation

–Fitness plateau

The amount of rest needed really depends on the person, their diet and how strenuous the training sessions are. The more extreme the sessions are the more recovery time is needed for the body to catch up to the physical demands. Also, diets that lack vital nutrients will make recovery times longer so this is also a contributing factor.

Basic Rest Schedule

Getting in the habit of allowing the body enough time to recover will render greater results in a shorter period of time. There won’t be much of a plateau if you allow for enough rest time and rotate your training routine. If you suddenly are no longer seeing noticeable results in either your physical appearance or endurance then you are plateauing. This means that you need to change your routine and/or take more rest days.

For the novice and intermediate sessions aim for 1-2 days of complete rest days in addition to rotating your routine so that you do not train the same muscle groups two days in a row. For more strenuous sessions aim for 2-3 days of complete rest and also be sure never to train the same muscle groups two days in a row.

Rest days can be consecutive or you can split them up and have one rest day midweek and another later on during the weekend. Find a routine that fits your schedule and one that is realistic. If you have lots of errands on Wednesdays then make that a rest day instead of stressing about it. Be sure to pay attention to how you feel and what your body is communicating. If you seem to be having a lingering soreness then take a few extra days off to fully recover.

Rotate Muscle Groups

A basic rule of thumb is to allow each body part 2-3 days of rest before another session. Say for example you train chest and back on Monday then the next day you train chest and back should be Thursday or Friday. If you train arms and abs on Tuesday then train them again on Friday or Saturday. This allows for enough rest but also for focused training so that each major muscle group is effectively targeted. Below are some examples of rotating muscle group routines.

Use these as a reference and refer to them when it’s time to switch up your routine. Try changing up your routine every 8-14 weeks. The body is incredibly clever and quickly adapts so keep track of your start dates and make a note of when to change it. This will optimize results, keep you interested and prevent plateauing and overtraining.