Overtraining

[precious_roy]

I believe that I am suffering from overtraining. I did not accept it until recently, but I have a lot of the symptoms. My question is what does one do? I am just about to start my 2 weeks of negatives, and my cycle is going great. However, the morning after a session, I have soreness, joint pain and I do not sleep well. However, I have not seen a decrease in strength and my size seems to be increasing steadily (although I think that some of it now is fat). Do people usually take a few days off or do you need more time or some other strategy to recover?

Thanks.

 

[Bryan Haycock]

Hi precious_roy. You've run head on into the "specificity" or HST. Under most circumstances you would simply stop working out and give your nervous system time to recover. However, because your gains are continuing HST would not recommend that you stop yet.

The only exception would be your joints. There is no need to get injured for the sake of extending a cycle. So, if you can live with a little bit of joint soreness its fine to continue. However if you feel it is injurious to continue, by all means stop.

Other options are to:
1) Get a sports massage regularly.
2) Increase calories
3) Increase vitamin/minerals
4) Ensure proper pre- and postworkout protein intake
5) Try HMB

 

[imported_hannesburk]

bump to 3) I very very often had overtraining-symptoms after heavy workouts..then I started to take 1000mg of vitamin c and 400 ie of vitamin e with each postworkout shake and never ever got those problems again (and never again catched a cold) and this is now well 1.5 years ago

cheers

 

[Old and Grey]

One more suggestion:

Instead of negs, which are hard on the joints, you might try continuing another 2 weeks with your 5 RM and then throw in some drop sets to get a high metabolic response and "grease" your joints.

 

[imported_dkm1987]

Quote[/b] (Old and Grey @ Mar. 01 2005,4:59)]"grease" your joints.

Now's theres a pick up line if I ever heard one.

Hey baby, howa bout we go back to my place, get a lil comfy, do some drops and grease your joints.

Hey it could work, well couldn't it?

 

[Old and Grey]

Good catch Dan. It would work on me coming from some gorgeous female. Somehow, though, when you say it say it, it doesn't do a thing for me.

 

[imported_dkm1987]

I'm glad to hear that, I would be very disapointed and rather weirded out if it did

 

[precious_roy]

Thanx for the suggestions (and that strange off topic excursis). I have decided to ante up and continue the cycle. I tried my routine with drops tonight; it felt good, but we will see how well I sleep.

As a precaution, how quickly would one lose strength if he were overtraining? There is probably no exact answer, but within 1-2 workouts, what kind of drop might you notice? Thanks again.