Quote Originally Posted by Warrior
Types of overtraining...

Addisonic Overtraining

Named after Addison's Disease, in which the adrenal and pituitary glands malfunction. Some of the symptoms reasemble the disease. This form of overtraining usually effects older or advanced athletes. It includes a slightly overtired feeling but no increase in sleep needs, no weight loss, unusually low resting pulse rate, normal metabolic rate, higher blood pressure, but normal temperature and no psycholgical changes.

Basedowic Overtraining

Named after Basedow's Disease in which thyroid function is too high. Symptoms include tiring easily, reduced appetite and weight loss, needing more sleep, a fast resting pulse rate, higher temperature and blood pressure, slower reaction time and inability to perform skill movements. Most common in strength althletes and explosive athletes like sprinters, jumpers and lifters. It also common in young athletes, less advanced and the easily excitable.

AVOIDING OVERTRAINING
1. Develop a schedule that does not stress you.
2. Develop a rational training program - based on your stage of progress.
3. Conform your workouts to cycle training principles or periodization.
4. Vary your training methods.
5. Sleep 8-10 hours per night (or less with a daytime power nap).
6. Follow sound nutritional practices.
7. Make the athlete/coach connection and work together (a coach should be able to recognize early signs of overtraining... if you let it go too long it can get progressivly worst).
8. A 20 minute power nap is sometimes all it takes to reguvenate you (taking a short rest before going to the gym during late training hours works wonders).
9. Monitor blood pressure, morning pulse rate and other signs of overtraining.
10. Let logic - not ego - rule your training.
11. After workouts, whirl pool effected muscles and then massage for a minute or two.

One of the most common mistakes I see is people using advanced splits beyond there current development. If you are a beginner - work like a beginner... if you are advanced - it takes a more polished overall program to keep progressing and not overtraining. Working correctly for your stage will help you progress faster and avoid overtraining.

If you think you may be overtrained you should back off and reevaluate your training split. You may need some time off too - if you are severly overtrained you may need 1-2 weeks to rest and recover.



Nice post.

"if you are severly overtrained you may need 1-2 weeks to rest and recover."

Say you've been training just about everyday for 5 months all out and you took 1 weeks off, wouldn't I lose the muscle that I just gained, Or would I actually grow and get much bigger?

My muscles shrink very fast if I don't lift. If I don't do anything (weightwise) for 2 months I can lose up to 20lbs+ of mostly muscle. It's so hard to take days off, I feel like I'm lazy or cheating myself from gaining.

So basically I'm asking would 3 days of rest make me bigger more so than if I lifted for another 3 days being in my situation though.