How do you know youre overtraining exactly!

[ScottyShotty]

OK I ve read lots of literature and heard so many different opinions, so whats yours? First off, working out on test or off test will be 2 different cases, so lets stick with (on)Test cycle.
Now some say work 1 body part a seesion for an hour TOPS!
--after an hour I'm just getting pumped up

If you work 2 body parts a session, should you be there 2 hrs.???
When and how does this whole overtraining thing come in??
I just need to be clearified, with cortisol levels too high, etc.ect.
It drives me crazy.

Now Bill Pearl, Arnold, and Flex and other magazines say:to get bigger you need to increase the intensity::
1.more sets
2.more reps
3more weight or
4.less time between sets........ok............

Now if you should ABSOLUTLY NOT go over 8 sets for bis or tris and youve been lifting for 20 years and kept it at 8 sets ONLY, then you should be doing 3 sets of 100 lb. tricep kickbacks with no rest before moving on to your measly 5 other sets right? Then thats it.Triceps are done?I dont get it.
To sum it up does overtraining mean??.....
a)you can do 8 reps of 60 lb. dumbell press for a session, then can only do it for 5 reps the next session?
b)or...feel exhausted all day and lift when you feel exhausted, but can still put up your weight? Thanks for any feedback

[ScottyShotty]

Anybody ???????????I dont feel like I overtrain, but sometimes people say I overtrain wayyyyyyyyyy to much.When you are overtrained, do you feel fine but just cant lift as much or does it mean you feel unbeilevably exhausted after a workout and your muscles wont grow??????Please

[S.P.G]

Anybody ???????????I dont feel like I overtrain, but sometimes people say I overtrain wayyyyyyyyyy to much.When you are overtrained, do you feel fine but just cant lift as much or does it mean you feel unbeilevably exhausted after a workout and your muscles wont grow??????Please

Overtraining can be coursed by a number of things of things, in and out of the gym, every ones different, you have to find the frequency, volume, intensity, that works for your genetics, if your not a genetic freak and are a average ectomorph to endomorph some rules may apply to you and others, over-training can be coursed by some of the following,, and some symptoms

1 not sleeping properly, 8 hours is good,
2 you training Intensely, but you nutritional protocol in not in order,
3 you suffer with bad D.O.M.S for days at a time, but still no visible muscle growth,
4 you feel lethargic and don’t look forward to training,
5 lack of hypertrophy,
6 training to long!! people these days don’t seem to no when to stop,
7 hitting biceps and triceps with 20sets that will do it…..

There are many more that I’m sure other people will mention...

[S.P.G]

OK I ve read lots of literature and heard so many different opinions, so whats yours? First off, working out on test or off test will be 2 different cases, so lets stick with (on)Test cycle.
Now some say work 1 body part a seesion for an hour TOPS!
--after an hour I'm just getting pumped The reason ppl say,,,, only one hour is that you may be depleted of muscle glycogen after this time

If you work 2 body parts a session, should you be there 2 hrs.???no it depends what your training When and how does this whole overtraining thing come in?? see other post
I just need to be clearified, with cortisol levels too high, etc.ect.
It drives me crazy.

Now Bill Pearl, Arnold, and Flex and other magazines say:to get bigger you need to increase the intensity::
1.more sets
2.more reps
3more weight or each week add more weight or rep its up to you
4.less time between sets........ok............

Now if you should ABSOLUTLY NOT go over 8 sets for bis or tris and youve been lifting for 20 years and kept it at 8 sets ONLY, then you should be doing 3 sets of 100 lb. tricep kickbacks with no rest before moving on to your measly 5 other sets right? Then thats it.Triceps are done?I dont get it.
To sum it up does overtraining mean??.....bro this is quit simple just make sure that you progress each week it doesn’t mater much how you do just do it
a)you can do 8 reps of 60 lb. dumbell press for a session, then can only do it for 5 reps the next session? you need to add weight SLOWLY not 5kg each week leave room to progress
b)or...feel exhausted all day and lift when you feel exhausted, but can still put up your weight? Thanks for any feedback if you can no longer up the weights you will need a week of then start your training cycle again if you can not progress you will not grow

[ScottyShotty]

Thanks alot spg! That helps alot. So as long as you can do AT LEAST the same reps and weight for a particular exercise, then that means you are NOT overtraining right?Period.
And if you were on a test cycle, either you should move up 1 or more reps or move up in weight a little, for a particular exercise every session if your not overtrained?
Does this sound like a good rule of thumb?
Thanks again for the feedback

[S.P.G]

Thanks alot spg! That helps alot. So as long as you can do AT LEAST the same reps and weight for a particular exercise, then that means you are NOT overtraining right?Period.
And if you were on a test cycle, either you should move up 1 or more reps or move up in weight a little, for a particular exercise every session if your not overtrained?
Does this sound like a good rule of thumb?
Thanks again for the feedback

Dude….. overtraining is not something that happens within one training session, its doing a number of things wrong for a long period of time that can eventually lead to it, so if you cant do 8 reps with 200lbs that doesn’t necessarily mean your overtraining

ps....top ava.. bro.....

[IronReload04]

Here is my own little rule of thumb. And i am still natural by the way. IF i am not making progress every single workout, then i am not overtraining. I i have 2 workouts in a row where i see no progress, then its time to take a step back for a week or 2

[S.P.G]

Here is my own little rule of thumb. And i am still natural by the way. IF i am not making progress every single workout, then i am not overtraining. I i have 2 workouts in a row where i see no progress, then its time to take a step back for a week or 2

agreed...I usually have a week of when I cant add any more weight….it usually happens every 9-11 weeks,, im natty to..

[ScottyShotty]

ok thanks alot guys.
I was just wondering because about 5 weeks ago I would naturally spend 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. a session and got flamed for it bad. (Now I'm only 1 to 1 1/2). But I was still going up in weight and reps. Whatever, I'll stick to this:
No more than 16 sets for large muscle groups and 12 sets for small
No more than an hour and a half Tops in the gym
And if two sessions go by with no increase in weight, then cut some sets for a week or two.

[IronReload04]

agreed...I usually have a week of when I cant add any more weight….it usually happens every 9-11 weeks,, im natty to..

so true

[IronReload04]

ok thanks alot guys.
I was just wondering because about 5 weeks ago I would naturally spend 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. a session and got flamed for it bad. (Now I'm only 1 to 1 1/2). But I was still going up in weight and reps. Whatever, I'll stick to this:
No more than 16 sets for large muscle groups and 12 sets for small
No more than an hour and a half Tops in the gym
And if two sessions go by with no increase in weight, then cut some sets for a week or two.

imho, if you are not rapidly gaining strength/size, then some factor is wrong with your weighlifting equasion Diet + exercise + rest= bigger and stronger

what used to hold me back was too many sets and not enough food.

[nalbano34]

I have seen too many guys in the gym when I get there and still working out when I leave.....they always look the same!!!!!!!!! I myself have found that more than 3 days a week on my schedule is more than sufficent and I do alternate the intensity at different workouts. It is not necessary to push to failure every workout. Enjoy a higher rep workout to about 80 percent.....it ain't gonna kill ya.....just an opinion.

[ScottyShotty]

I have seen too many guys in the gym when I get there and still working out when I leave.....they always look the same!!!!!!!!! I myself have found that more than 3 days a week on my schedule is more than sufficent and I do alternate the intensity at different workouts. It is not necessary to push to failure every workout. Enjoy a higher rep workout to about 80 percent.....it ain't gonna kill ya.....just an opinion.

Ok I'm seeing gains but I think they can be faster. My rest is good so I'm either overtraining, or diet, or impatient. One of the three. I'm really amping up the tuna and eggs to get at least 50 g or protein a meal and trying a new workout tequnique. Pyramiding for 4 sets, 4 reps being the last. I thionk its going to work.