Overtraining for growth......

[bornbad71]

All this comes from M&F March 04

Walking a fine line:
The main difference between overtraining(OT) and overreaching(OR) is time. OT is a more chronic situation, and to reach that stage takes time. It's not something that can happen in a couple of days: it may take several weeks of training too heavy, too hard, and/or too long to become truely overtrained. By then hormonal perturbations will usually surface and so will the classic signs: fatigue, loss of appetite, lack of strenght, mucle loss, insomnia, depression and more. OR is similar to overtraining in that the training is the same - there's to much of it. The difference between the two is that overreaching is for a short period and stops before catastrophic changes in your body's physiology take place. Therefore the key to Overreaching is to avoid overtraining, and the trick is to know when to back off.

Over and Out:
Frequency-
For most lifters, overreaching frequency will be fairly standard. Training each muscle group 3x a week is recommended and will suffice for most.
Intensity-
For the majority of your lifts, increase the amount of weight you use so that you can do no more than 4-8 reps per set. Use forced reps on the third set of exercise 1(this should be a basic exercise for that muscle group, like bench press, pulldowns, shoulder press, squat, etc.) The basic exercises tend to involve multiple muscle groups, which is key for pushing your body beyond its limits. Also use drop sets or the rest-pause technique for exercise 2 or 3 of each body part.
Volume-
Volume refers to the total amount of work you do. It is suggested you bump it up to about 16 sets per muscle group. If you do that already, try adding 2-4 sets per muscle group by either adding sets or exercises.

Designed for the Overreacher:
This program consist of approximately 6 wks divided into two phases. Phase 1 is the actual overreaching workout and last for 4 wks. Phase 2 is the cutback portion of the program and last for 2 wks. Use the sample workouts or manipulate your current workouts to fit the requirements. Get plenty of rest when not in the gym. You may find yourself weaker during wks 2 and 3, just make sure you don't exhibit any of the overtraining symptoms listed below.

Stop Signs:
Watch for these symptoms during the 4 wk overreaching program. Switch to phase 2 if you notice any of the following:
Signs that the intensity is to high-
1. elevated resting heart rate
2. heart rate stays elevated longer after exercise
3. trouble sleeping
4. sweat more
5. emotional instability
Signs that volume or frequency is to high-
1. lowered resting heart rate
2. heart rate recovers faster after exercise
3. digestion problems
4. more fatigued than usual
5. lower blood pressure

Phase 1 - Weeks 1-4

Workout 1 - Mon/Wed/Fri
Chest-
Exercise 1: 4 sets x 4-6 reps, 2 mins rest......do forced reps ar end of set 3...do negs. at end of set 4
Mon - flat bench press
Wed - Incline Bench press
Fri - incline dumbell press
Exercise 2: 4 x 4-6, 2 min. rest
Mon - incline dumbell press
Wed - dumbell bench press
Fri - go to exercise 3
Exercise 3: do as one drop set with 4 drops-aim for 6-10 reps on each
Mon/Wed - incline dumbell flye
Fri - flat dumbell flye
Exercise 4: 4 x 6-8, 1 min. rest
Mon/Fri - cable crossover
Wed - pec-deck flye

Shoulders-
Exercise 1: 4 x 4-6, 2 mins rest...do forced reps at end of set 3..do negs. at end of set 4.
Mon - Barbell overhead press
Wed - Dumbell overhead press
Fri - barbell overhead press
Exercise 2: 4 x 4-6, 2 mins rest
Mon - Dumbell overhead press
Wed - go to exercise 3
Fri - machine shoulder press
Exercise 3: do as one drop set with 4 drops-aim for 6-10 reps on each
Mon - dumbell lateral raise
Wed - upright row
Fri - cable lateral raise
Exercise 4: 4 x 6-8, 1min. rest
Mon/Fri - bent-over lateral raise
Wed - front raise

Traps- 4 x 8-10, 1 min. rest
Mon/Fri - barbell shrugs
Wed - dumbell shrugs

Triceps-
Exercise 1: 4 x 4-6, 2 mins. rest...forced reps at end of set 3...negs. at end of set 4.
Mon - skullcrushers
Wed - tricep pressdowns
Fri - skullcrushers
Exercise 2: 4 x 4-6, 2 mins. rest
Mon - go to exercise 3
Wed - overhead extensions
Fri - rope pressdowns
Exercise 3: do as one drop set with 4 drops-6-10 reps on each
Mon - reverse-grip pressdown
Wed - close-grip bench press
Fri - overhead cable extension
Exercise 4: 3 x 6-8, 1 min. est
Mon/Fri - dip
Wed - dumbell kickbacks

Abs- 4 x 15-20, 1 min. rest
Mon - crunch
Wed - hanging leg raise
Fri - reverse crunch


Workout 2 - Tue/Thu/Sat
Back-
Exercise 1: 4 x 4-6, 2 mins rest...forced reps at end of set 3...negs at end of set 4.
Tue - Pulldowns to front
Thu - Reverse-grip pulldown
Sat - Neutral-grip pulldown
Exercise 2: 4 x 4-6, 2 mins rest
Tue - barbell row
Thu - dumbell row
Sat - go to exercise 3
Exercise 3: do as one drop set for 4 drops- 6-10 reps on each
Tue/Thu - seated cable row
Sat - barbell row
Exercise 4: 4 x 6-8, 1 min. rest
Tue/Thu - straight-arm pulldown
Sat - pull-up

Legs-
Exercise 1: 4 x 4-6, 2mins. rest...forced reps at end of set 3...negs at end of set 4.
Tue - leg press
Thu - Squat
Sat - leg press
Exercise 2:
Tue - go to exercise 3
Thu - leg press
Sat - lunge
Exercise 3:do as one drop set with 4 drops - 6-10 reps on each
Tue/Thu/Sat - leg extensions
Exercise 4: 4 x 6-8, 1 min. rest
Tue/Thu - leg curl
Sat - stiff-legged deadlift
Exercise 5: 4 x 10-12, 1 min. rest
Tue/Thu - standing calf raise
Sat - seated calf raise

Biceps-
Exercise 1: 4 x 4-6, 2 mins. rest...forced reps at end of set 3...negs at end of set 4.
Tue - barbell curls
Thu - alt. dumbell curls
Sat - barbell curls
Exercise 2: 3 x 4-6, 2 mins. rest
Tue - preacher curl
Thu - go to exercise 3
Sat - seated incline curl
Exercise 3: do as one drop set with 4 drops - 6-10 reps on each
Tue - alt. dumbell curl
Thu/Sat - preacher curl
Exercise 4: 3 x 6-8, 1 min. rest
Tue/Thu - concentration curl
Sat - cable curl


PHASE 2 - Weeks 5-6
Do each workout just once a week...as an alternitive, you can opt to take these 2 weeks off.

Workout 1 -

Chest-
Exercise 1: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins rest
Wk 1 - flat bench press
Wk 2 incline bench press
Exercise 2: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins rest
wk 1 - dumbell incline press
wk 2 - dumbell bench press

Shoulders-
Exercise 1: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins rest
wk 1 - barbell overhead press
wk 2 - dumbell overhead press
Exercise 2: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins rest
wk 1 - lat. raise
wk 2 - upright row

Traps - 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins rest
wk 1 - barbell shrug
wk 2 - dumbell shrug

Triceps-
Exercise 1: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins rest
wk 1 - tricep pressdown
wk 2 - skullcrushers
Exercise 2: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins rest
wk 1 - overhead ext.
wk 2 - rope pressdown

Abs-
Exercise 1: 3 x 15-20, 1 min. rest
wk 1- crunch
Wk 2- reverse crunch
Exercise 2:3 x 15-20, 1 min. rest
wk 1- hanging knee raise
wk 2- oblique crunch


Workout 2 -

Back-
Exercise 1: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins rest
wk 1- pulldown to front
wk 2- barbell row
Exercise 2: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins. rest
wk 1- dumbell row
wk 2- reverse-grip pulldown

Biceps-
Exercise 1: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins. rest
wk 1- barbell curl
wk 2- preacher curl
Exercise 2: 2 x 8-10, 2-3 mins. rest
wk 1- seated incline curl
wk 2- alt. dumbell curl

Legs-
Exercise 1: 3 x 8-10,2-3 mins. rest
wk 1- squat
wk 2- leg press
Exercise 2: 3 x 8-10, 2-3 mins. rest
wk 1- leg ext.
wk 2-leg curl

Calves - 3 x 10-15, 1-2 mins. rest
wk 1- standing calf raise
wk 2- sated calf raise

Once this program is complete don't attempt Overreaching again for at least 6 months.

[pmacdona51]

do you think you can extedn this beyond the 4weeks when on a cycle of test prop/fina/winny (10week)

[Da Bull]

This is sort of a take off from Leo Costa's program(Big Beyond Belief)...were you ramp up to overtraining then back off to let your body catch up.It's called Hyperacceleration/Hyperadaptation..and was bought to the US by Leo in the early 90's when he went to Bulgaria to see the olympic power lifters train.

I use this method quite often and is far more complicated than the above program,but very effective natural or on cycle.

[Da Bull]

BB71 check your pm bro

[Swellin]

This is sort of a take off from Leo Costa's program(Big Beyond Belief)...were you ramp up to overtraining then back off to let your body catch up.It's called Hyperacceleration/Hyperadaptation..and was bought to the US by Leo in the early 90's when he went to Bulgaria to see the olympic power lifters train.

I use this method quite often and is far more complicated than the above program,but very effective natural or on cycle.

Man, you sure do sound smart.

[Da Bull]

Man, you sure do sound smart.

Smart ass

[hoss827]

Possible sticky, awesome read...Bump

[hoss827]

Friend of mine I talked to..His names nate. Hes 20 now, natural, he believes someone can't over train..He believes you can overtrain the immune system, but not the muscles. The fockers in there with pneumonia lifting! Not for gains, just to keep what he has...I'm, trying to decide whether or not hes smart, or really dumb...I mean he must be doing something right, hes huge....allready got 20 inch guns..

[Da Bull]

You sort of hit the tip of the iceberg.When your nervous system is maxed out,that's when over training sets in.Doesn't really have to do with muscles that much at all.When your nervous system can't keep up with your training,it send all kind of signals to back off and let it catch up.You back off your training,let your system catch up and growth follows.It's complicataed to explain,but you get the idea.