Question about the way I work out and overtraining

I was wondering about my workouts. Basiclly I do them like this.

4 sets of 4 exercies for each major bodypart(chest, lats, traps, shoulders,) and 3 sets of 3 exericses for each minor (tris, calfs, bis,)

legs I do 4 sets of 3 exercises for the quads and 3 sets of 2 exercises for the hammies.

Now, I have read a couple times that 16 sets for 1 body part is to many.

BUT.....when I workout, I don't lift the most I can lift for all 4 sets of each exercise. I start out a little lighter, as to get 8 reps easily, then on my second set I add a little more weight and still get 8 reps. On my 3rd set I up the weight and aim for 5-6 reps (failure). then on my last (4th set) I add more weight for 2-5 reps and hit failure. I do this a total of 16 times for each body part.

My chest workout for now has been this.

BB Bench 4 sets
Incline bb bench 3-4 sets
incline db bench 4 sets ( should I stick to bb or db, one or the other? I could throw in incline flys?)
pec deck flys 4 sets

Back workout
Wide grip pullups 3 sets of 5-8 (to failure every time)
Bent over rows 4 sets
Lat pull downs in front 4 sets (hate this exercise, what else widens your lats other than wide grip pullups?)
T-bar rows 4 sets

Shoulder workout is 5 sets because I superset a couple exercises
bentover laterals SS w/ behind the neck military press 4 sets
DB shoulder press (about to switch to military press for a while) 4 sets
side laterals SS w/ front raises 3 to 4 sets

Traps workout
Shrugs 4 sets, I work up to 8 plates and somtimes drop set all the way back down to 2 plates.
Front close grip raises 4 sets
hammer strength lateral pull? 4 sets
seated pulley row.

Legs workout.
Quads:
Squats 4-5 sets, sometimes supersetted with horizontal leg press
90* leg press 4 sets
leg extensions 4 sets

Hammies:
leg curls sitting up 3 sets
leg curls lying on stomach 3 sets

Sometimes I will get ambitious and do some db lunges walking around the gym. 3 sets.

So what do yall think?

Overtraining in my book is way-overated man. Only you know your body, and we know when to stop. If what you're doing is working, that's all you need to know bro. Nowadays, people thinnk you overtrain if you do cardio and weights in the same-ass day! Garbagio if you ask me...it's true to an extent, but it's an EXTENT.

However, from what you posted up, you're fine bro as long as you have the adequate nutrition, including plenty of both Protein and Carb, as well as a good amount of the 'good' EFA. You're good to go man in my books.

But once you start to feel tired and you feel your heart rate going up a bit, take a few days off. Nothing is better than rest. My thing is, if I don't feel like going to the gym, I won't go. Why give a half-assed effort when I can do a 100% tomorrow or the next day. Try that out, you don't have to be so hard on yourself all the time. But everything looks good!

Thanks Ronny. Before I started my cycle I took a week off from the gym. I realized once when I got sick for a week, that when I went back after a week, I grew like crazy. I was working out different back then also.


I havn't had a day I didn't want to go to the gym for a while now. I am always ready to go see what my new found buddy Mr. Juice can do for me today!!;)

i agree, overtraining dont exist in my book, im no dr, or anything, but i think that if you feel your overtraining, you really just lack motivation, and thats really when you need to look a lil deeper, find a mag or site or movie that gets your pumped up, i watch the ronnie coleman vid, when i feel like shit, and i take a look at the fatasses around the city and think how much i want them to stare at me bc im the size of a truck, and i train my ass off, way more than most ppl at the gym and i consistantly get good gains and no problems with being burnt out. i think its a mind fuck bro. dont let it be.

I agree, I've had problems with my arms growing so much and everyone is telling me stick to 1x a week etc etc. I started doing em for 2x a week for 2 weeks now and I've already gained a god damn 1/2 inch on my arms. So listen to your body and do what feels right. If you're eating well, drinking lots of water and getting sufficient amount of rest, you should be fine.

For those of you who dont believe in overtraining, you have never experienced it. It is real. You wont be able to sleep, think strait, eat right, you will be sore all the time, etc, etc, etc.

Like I said above, take a break from the gym for 1 week.....complete break. If your like me, you will notice your strength/size jump up.