Overtraining/Tips?

[PRyan]

Been lifting for about 4 years now (since highschool).

Would say I have only put 2 years of serious lifting in though since most of my high school lifting was learning form and bullshitting around with football team, etc.

My question is if I am overtraining or doing to much and if I should try a different split?

Currently:
Mon - Chest/Bi
Tues - Leg/Shoulder
Wednesday - Back/tri
Thursday - Rest
Friday: Chest/Bi
Sat - Leg/Shoulder
Sunday - Back/tri

Stats:
Ht: 6
Wt: 170
Max Bench: 260
Max Squat: 365
Max DL: 315

Basically I am hitting each muscle group twice a week. I do a consistent 4 workouts per muscle group so usually 8 in total and do abs every other day or ~2-3 times a week.

Reason I am unsure about my workout plan is because for the past couple months I have been stuck at the same weight and cannot seem to break the barrier.

[dooie]

Been lifting for about 4 years now (since highschool).

Would say I have only put 2 years of serious lifting in though since most of my high school lifting was learning form and bullshitting around with football team, etc.

My question is if I am overtraining or doing to much and if I should try a different split?

Currently:
Mon - Chest/Bi
Tues - Leg/Shoulder
Wednesday - Back/tri
Thursday - Rest
Friday: Chest/Bi
Sat - Leg/Shoulder
Sunday - Back/tri

Stats:
Ht: 6
Wt: 170
Max Bench: 260
Max Squat: 365
Max DL: 315

Basically I am hitting each muscle group twice a week. I do a consistent 4 workouts per muscle group so usually 8 in total and do abs every other day or ~2-3 times a week.

Reason I am unsure about my workout plan is because for the past couple months I have been stuck at the same weight and cannot seem to break the barrier.

You are training ur muscles twice a week! It takes around 72hrs for you muscle to b completely recovered! (depending on diet and how u lift etc)
Are your workouts any different? Or do u lift the same for both days in the week? I.e same exercises, sets and reps for chest on mon, and Friday? I don't like the split personally if u are going heavy for both days, but if your doing a power/hypertrophy split or something like this, then it's perfectly fine

[keep fightin]

even for a young guy like you that just looks like a high volume marathon to me,

[PRyan]

You are training ur muscles twice a week! It takes around 72hrs for you muscle to b completely recovered! (depending on diet and how u lift etc)
Are your workouts any different? Or do u lift the same for both days in the week? I.e same exercises, sets and reps for chest on mon, and Friday? I don't like the split personally if u are going heavy for both days, but if your doing a power/hypertrophy split or something like this, then it's perfectly fine

Workouts are pretty similar... Same excercises same reps/sets

So I guess I should probably switch something now.

I have been lifting very hard. I am always exhausted after lifting (usually 1 hr 30 min for everything). Go home immediate protein shake. Have a pretty good diet right now.

I have been lifting like this for 6 months now and don't really ever stay sore. I mean I might feel it the day after, but not usually and it doesn't last.

Should I definitely switch up my routine?

[gonebluffn]

I would most definatly.

[abstetic]

You are so overtraining ... I don't think your hitting your muscles hard enough the first day... Have at least 2 rest days here's my routine

Monday: upper and lower chest and tris and calves

Tuesday: shoulders and traps and abs

Wednesday legs

Thursday rest

Friday middle chest and calves and abs

Saturday back and bis

Sunday off

So with maxes i don't believe in a 1 rep max because it really doesn't do sh!t IMO I believe in 4 rep max

[PRyan]

You are so overtraining ... I don't think your hitting your muscles hard enough the first day... Have at least 2 rest days here's my routine

Monday: upper and lower chest and tris and calves

Tuesday: shoulders and traps and abs

Wednesday legs

Thursday rest

Friday middle chest and calves and abs

Saturday back and bis

Sunday off

So with maxes i don't believe in a 1 rep max because it really doesn't do sh!t IMO I believe in 4 rep max

Is there anything I could do on Thursday or Sunday?

Going to the gym is addicting to me. Could I do core exercises on those days or cardio or is complete rest necessary?

[abstetic]

Eat bro dedicate that day to eating lol u do ur growth out of the gym if your body doesn't have time to rest then you won't grow.. I know I was like that too never wanting to rest but trust me if you hit the gym hard you'll need that rest.. One advice that got me through days I couldn't put up weight like I did the previous week was " don't worry about last weeks weight worry about the weight your about to do as long as your body is feeling it and that's all you got then your fine" - jay cutler

[dooie]

You are so overtraining ... I don't think your hitting your muscles hard enough the first day... Have at least 2 rest days here's my routine

Monday: upper and lower chest and tris and calves

Tuesday: shoulders and traps and abs

Wednesday legs

Thursday rest

Friday middle chest and calves and abs

Saturday back and bis

Sunday off

So with maxes i don't believe in a 1 rep max because it really doesn't do sh!t IMO I believe in 4 rep max

That's a silly split! Your chest only has two muscles, the minor and major! Why split your chest on two days?? Legs and lats are your biggest muscle, Split your leg and back days up is really the only thing needed if you are going to split, I.e quads and calves one day, lower back and hamstrings another day!

OP ur workouts are going to long, try and finish your workouts quicker for example only have 30-60sec rest between sets, or do super sets!! Higher intensity and your muscles will know it!

[dooie]

Try this split if u want to workout everyday
Back (upper) and bis
Chest and tris
Quads and calves
Shoulders
Hammie's and lower back
Then you coukd redo a lagging body part or do an arm day bis-tris

Have a rest day when u need it! My split is similar except I don't do the 6th day I just have 2 rest days!

[abstetic]

That's a silly split! Your chest only has two muscles, the minor and major! Why split your chest on two days?? Legs and lats are your biggest muscle, Split your leg and back days up is really the only thing needed if you are going to split, I.e quads and calves one day, lower back and hamstrings another day!

OP ur workouts are going to long, try and finish your workouts quicker for example only have 30-60sec rest between sets, or do super sets!! Higher intensity and your muscles will know it!

That's cuz on chest I can never go hard on upper and inner its either one or the other... I super set and drop set legs..

[dooie]

That's cuz on chest I can never go hard on upper and inner its either one or the other... I super set and drop set legs..

Just focus on incline one week and then decline movements the next week and then flat the week after!
If I focus on incline, I will usually start with and end with an incline movement, same as decline, heavy decline BB and then at the end weighted dips! Etc I'll usually do two weeks starting upper, two weeks starting lower, I don't ever start on flat anymore, actually, I haven't done flat in a long time

[abstetic]

Just focus on incline one week and then decline movements the next week and then flat the week after!
If I focus on incline, I will usually start with and end with an incline movement, same as decline, heavy decline BB and then at the end weighted dips! Etc I'll usually do two weeks starting upper, two weeks starting lower, I don't ever start on flat anymore, actually, I haven't done flat in a long time

Well it just comes down to the person really if they want a split I do it on chest because it's the muscle group that I feel like I'm lagging on.. Trust me try it for a week and ull c a huge difference in your chest... Well if ur natty if ur not then it dosnt really matter cuz your on monster mode

[abstetic]

Try this split if u want to workout everyday
Back (upper) and bis
Chest and tris
Quads and calves
Shoulders
Hammie's and lower back
Then you coukd redo a lagging body part or do an arm day bis-tris

Have a rest day when u need it! My split is similar except I don't do the 6th day I just have 2 rest days!

No leg day? The best thing for strength in legs is compound leg workout... And arm day twice is unnessicary becauses that's over working a small muscle group...lol this is a non natty routine isn't it?..

[dooie]

No leg day? The best thing for strength in legs is compound leg workout... And arm day twice is unnessicary becauses that's over working a small muscle group...lol this is a non natty routine isn't it?..

Haha. Nah I'm natty! Quads is leg day! Splitting legs into quads and Hammie's .. With my back day for example, I only do one exercise for bis, 21s are good!

[abstetic]

Haha. Nah I'm natty! Quads is leg day! Splitting legs into quads and Hammie's .. With my back day for example, I only do one exercise for bis, 21s are good!

Damn bro 21" bias at age 23 and all natty... Pretty impressive how long u been lifting

[Back In Black]

Damn bro 21" bias at age 23 and all natty... Pretty impressive how long u been lifting

That's what you read from his post? He does one set for biceps and it's a set of 21's!

[abstetic]

That's what you read from his post? He does one set for biceps and it's a set of 21's!

Lol I thought he ment I did one set of bias and the 21s referring to his bias are good

[big88sub]

Try this split if you like. This can set you up for 3 days off or 2 nothing but cardio and1 day off or whatever.
Mon back and bis
Tues chest and tris
We'd legs and abs
Thurs shoulders and traps and typically
Fri cardio or however you want to work out your days off or cardio for the next two days. This is what I do. Well I used to start it all over again on Saturday to hit everything twice every five days and was seeing some good gains.

[Narkissos]

Try this split if u want to workout everyday
Back (upper) and bis
Chest and tris
Quads and calves
Shoulders
Hammie's and lower back
Then you coukd redo a lagging body part or do an arm day bis-tris

Have a rest day when u need it! My split is similar except I don't do the 6th day I just have 2 rest days!

After calling the poster before yours' split a 'silly split', I fail to see how this one you posted is any better... honestly.

[Narkissos]

Been lifting for about 4 years now (since highschool).

Would say I have only put 2 years of serious lifting in though since most of my high school lifting was learning form and bullshitting around with football team, etc.

My question is if I am overtraining or doing to much and if I should try a different split?

Currently:
Mon - Chest/Bi
Tues - Leg/Shoulder
Wednesday - Back/tri
Thursday - Rest
Friday: Chest/Bi
Sat - Leg/Shoulder
Sunday - Back/tri

Stats:
Ht: 6
Wt: 170
Max Bench: 260
Max Squat: 365
Max DL: 315

Basically I am hitting each muscle group twice a week. I do a consistent 4 workouts per muscle group so usually 8 in total and do abs every other day or ~2-3 times a week.

Reason I am unsure about my workout plan is because for the past couple months I have been stuck at the same weight and cannot seem to break the barrier.

Look mate. You came here looking for advice, so you have to be prepared to take it.

The suggestion made was that you drop the volume/frequency of your workouts.

Your reply was:

Is there anything I could do on Thursday or Sunday?

Going to the gym is addicting to me. Could I do core exercises on those days or cardio or is complete rest necessary?

Personally, I think you need to decide what your goals are.

Training the way you do is the primary reason why you're only 170 lbs @ 6ft tall.

You don't grow while you're in the gym flogging your muscles into the ground. That's a pump. It's irrelevant to the discussion.

Given that you've been stuck for an extended period, I think right now you need to either take a break from lifting for a couple weeks... engage in a de-load, or active rest.

Upon returning to training, I'd suggest an EOD push/pull/leg training cycle.

e.g.

Day 1: Push (overhead press, bench, dip)
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Pull (deadlift, row, pull-up or chin-up or inverted row)
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Legs (squat, lunge, calf raise, step-up)
Day 6: Rest (or abs + conditioning)
Day 7: Rest

Failing that, I'd suggest that you build your routine around the primary lifts.

3-4 days per week... max.

Moderate cardio on rest days if anything.

Find a hobby.

Meandering in the gym, wasting time over-training, will give you nothing.

[keep fightin]

Damn! Narkissos, great reply, I appreciate the op's" fire in the belly" with a little redirection he will be fine, rest, hobby, more food..

[PRyan]

Thanks for the post Narkissos.

I will do some research on a de-load because I am not 100% on exactly how I should do that.

But I do like the thought of the Push/ Pull/ Leg set up you posted, maybe putting abs in twice a week for me would be ideal though.

My goals would be to add another 10-15 lbs of muscle in the next year or so. My ideal weight would be around 180-185.I am pretty lean right now and thus have avoided a full-on bulk because did not want to lose the definition I currently have if that makes sense.

And yeah, a hobby would be a good idea. Would basketball be too much cardio? Or should I look for a non-athletic hobby.

[frank13]

i workout the same body part every 3 to 4 days i find only working out a body part 4 times a month does not work well for me

[Narkissos]

Thanks for the post Narkissos.

I will do some research on a de-load because I am not 100% on exactly how I should do that.

We're not allowed to post links to other boards... but I'm sure you could find an article which explains the parameters to you.

Barring that, the simplest thing to do right now would be for you to cut your training frequency (from hitting everything twice per week... to doing so once per week), bump your reps up (if you're doing 6-8, bump it to 12-15), stop training to failure, and lower your total number of working sets.

I'd suggest that you train in this manner for 2 weeks.

But I do like the thought of the Push/ Pull/ Leg set up you posted, maybe putting abs in twice a week for me would be ideal though.

Really it depends on why you're training abs.

If you're training them so they're stronger for deadlifts... ok (-in which case, one weighted session per week is fine). If you're training them because you have some misconstrued notion that working them excessively will keep them defined... then you're wasting energy, and time.

My goals would be to add another 10-15 lbs of muscle in the next year or so. My ideal weight would be around 180-185.I am pretty lean right now and thus have avoided a full-on bulk because did not want to lose the definition I currently have if that makes sense.

Losing definition while bulking comes down to diet. Not whether you train 4 days per week vs training 6 days per week dude.

And yeah, a hobby would be a good idea. Would basketball be too much cardio? Or should I look for a non-athletic hobby.

I'd suggest bird-watching.

Actually the first thing that came to mind was knitting.

Get out of the gym man. Relax. It won't disappear while you rest.

[Narkissos]

i workout the same body part every 3 to 4 days i find only working out a body part 4 times a month does not work well for me

That's great for you... but not really relevant to the thread.

The OP works everything twice per week, and is currently at a plateau.

Logically, more training can't be the answer.

[abstetic]

That's great for you... but not really relevant to the thread.

The OP works everything twice per week, and is currently at a plateau.

Logically, more training can't be the answer.

Lol I don't think he gets that rest and diet is key here's the break down
60% diet
20%rest
20%gym