If you are staying healthy, is there such a thing as too much volume?

[tredburn08]

Just wanting to hear from some different sources and possibly hear some results. For the past 2-3 years I've been interested in building size and lean muscle. I have a few friends who are body builders and they got me off to a great start! Took a 35 pound muscle gain over about 2 years, however my gains are now screeching to a hault.

The reason I am asking the following question is I have cycled in the same types of workouts in accordance to volume, so why has it all of the sudden stopped working?

I have heard from some that you should not work a group of muscles for over 45 minutes, and also heard from others to tear your muscles as much as possible and push the envelope without becoming injured. So, ultimately, is there such a thing as overloading your muscles TOO MUCH as long as you arent becoming injured?

[FireGuy]

Yes, its called overtraining and something you want to avoid.

[tredburn08]

So how do you know when it becomes too much?

[Matt]

If your spending 45 mins weight training a body part like legs/chest/back and sholders then thats fine imo.

If like me when i was very young you spend 3 hours training those same body parts as hard as possible then its called over training...

[tredburn08]

Well at the moment I'm 20 years old. i spend approx 1 to 1 & 1/4 hours on chest and arms working every set to failure. Seems like if I dont go until Im near complete exhaustion I never have any muscle fatigue the next day. Soreness is the only way Ive known to judge if I had a good workout

[l2elapse]

Well at the moment I'm 20 years old. i spend approx 1 to 1 & 1/4 hours on chest and arms working every set to failure. Seems like if I dont go until Im near complete exhaustion I never have any muscle fatigue the next day. Soreness is the only way Ive known to judge if I had a good workout

dont have to judge a workout by soreness...i hardly ever get sore

[maxwkw]

dont have to judge a workout by soreness...i hardly ever get sore

agreed. soreness does not equal progress.

[n00bs]

Well at the moment I'm 20 years old. i spend approx 1 to 1 & 1/4 hours on chest and arms working every set to failure. Seems like if I dont go until Im near complete exhaustion I never have any muscle fatigue the next day. Soreness is the only way Ive known to judge if I had a good workout

Up the weight if it takes so long.. Cut rest breaks doing something I can do whole body I that time

[tredburn08]

Alright, thanks guys! Ill try squeezing in each muscle group in 45 minutes and see what happens

[terraj]

If I am aiming for size, I will be sore everyday.

[tredburn08]

See thats what I want is to keep increasing size, and I make myself sore everyday. but ive had people tell me its too much. i have also not been making good gains recently so i figured it was time to start asking

[King Pin]

I judge I my gains by how much weight or reps I go up every week I try to stick with 8 reps if I go over the weight goes up and when I bulk I

dont do more then about 10 set per body part just beacus your sore doesnt mean your gainimg

[Twist]

Eat more and lift heavier. If I am sore I feel as if I didn't eat enough the day before.