What on earth is going on?!?!

[Ilyich]

Here is something I'd like to point out.
People, it seems to me, are spending less and less productive time at the gym. For some reason people are getting more and more scared of overtraining. Anything more than 3 sets is frowned upon. Have you seen anyone doing real high reps? 20? 50? Hardly!
I dunno whether its the legacy of Mentzer and various other HIT proponents or the success of BBers like Yates. May be its that ppl have less time, but I am surprised that even on this forum, sposed to be hardcore, most are strongly in favoure of 2-3 workouts a week!

So whats happened to the training routines of the 70s? 80s? When BBers trained several times a day, all week round, spending hours upon hours doing endless sets and reps, albeit popping dbol in plenty
Some will claim that such trainnig is counter-productive and induces overtraining but look at the physiques of Arnie and his contemporaries. Personally, I find them much more attractive than the "overgrown" physique of today's BBers. Furthermore, I'd say that today's size is a product of developments in pharmacuticals rather than training methods.

I abandoned this "dont overtrain philosophy" 2 months ago and am now banging it out to failure 5-6 times a week. May be my 1rms have fallen but size gains are coming much faster than when I used to train 2-3 times a week concentrating on the basic lifts.

Whats everyobody's view on this?


Ilyich

[ptbyjason]

Originally posted by Ilyich
May be its that ppl have less time, but I am surprised that even on this forum, sposed to be hardcore, most are strongly in favoure of 2-3 workouts a week!

Where did you get this? Working out 5 days of the week is pretty much the norm around here I think, not 2 - 3 workouts a week. Look around, most people on this board workout more than what you think.

And the reason most guys don't workout 2 or 3 times per day is because we all have to work or go to school. When I was personal training I could split my workouts up over the day because I was at the gym all day. Now I get to the gym once per day. Anything else I want to do, like cardio in the morning or evening, I do at home.

As far as the overtraining principle. It is very difficult to keep up the overtraining over a long period of time. It works ok for a while, but if you aren't careful you can hurt yourself or burn out.

[Ilyich]

hmm...
if most ppl do indeed work out that often then i take some of my words back.
Must be getting confused with some other forum where HIT is propagated


Ilyich

[Abbaddon]

I would actually like to know what people would consider overtraining. Some consider overtraining working out for too long one day others consider it 5 or 6 days a week. I personally think that overtraining is the working of one bodypart before it has had a chance to completely recover from the last workout. I do not stop a workout until the muscle group is completely blasted. I pay very very close attention to my diet and make sure that I get at least 8 to 9 hours of rest in a 24 hr period.

Now I understand why this thread was started because many people would rather think their lack of gains are from overtraining than to face the reality that they have to work harder.

[MarkyMark]

Never mind what others do .... Everyone's body and metabolism is different ... Learn what works for you ( called trial and error ) maybe they are making mistakes .... But if they are and your not ...oh well ... if you can help them do it .... if they dont listen ...Just show em you know what works for you ....

[dumbells101]

Originally posted by Abbaddon
I would actually like to know what people would consider overtraining.

Overtraining is simply when you're not maintaining a positive nitrogen balance. Your training, but you muscles are not recouperating as fast as their being broken down.

Signs:

1. Loss of training desire
2. Loss of strength
3. Fatigue
4. Weight loss
5. Immune system comprimise
6. Depression

Yes there are more but you get the idea.

[dane26]

the new flex has a good article about overtraining. they list overtraining symptoms as:

lack of motivation to train (avoidance or reduced enjoyment of training)
insomnia or irregulr sleeping habits
irritability
low energy levels, even when eating adequately

[Aguro]

Since our gain are soo slow when you play it natural, it hard to trial and error it out no? Any other guideline? I am training 4 time a week.. twice each body part with a 2day/3day rest period for each body part.. The only part that give me trouble are my leg they take much longer to regen so i train them once a week

[dumbells101]

Continue to train instictively. If you feel like you need more rest then do so, but remember that no matter how hard you train, if you're not sleeping enough then you'll not grow! Feed your body what it needs and when it needs it. Sleep 8 hours every night. Alternate high joint stress exercises so you don't overdue it. for example do deadlifts every other week, squat heavy one day and rep out the next. You'll find great benefit in how your muscle responds.

[Tobey]

4 somtimes 5 days a week depending on my work load at my job.
5 sets every excersise with the exception of legs. 6 sets on every excersise for them.
Tobey
Now if I was training someone just starting out with little gym experince I would reccomend 3 days a week to start off with. People have a tendancy to get mentally burned out if they do any more. Another reason is a I have had many memebers who were over 55 some as young as their early 60's. Now I beleive that everyone can improve their physical health and strengh but the likely hood of someone at this age who has never worked out becoming body builders is not liklely. The main reason here is just to keep them mobile, to off set certain ail ments such as arthitris, bercitious ect.

[MarkyMark]

Just say NO to overtraining