Each day you drag yourself out of bed and off to the gym. Grab some weights and work yourself into quivering pile of flesh and then off for sixty minutes of arduous running on the treadmill. All this for consistent progress in your workout plans right? Unfortunately this is not always the case. While the workout itself may still be beneficial, if your training does not include sufficient rest periods over training will rear its ugly head and there will be minimum gains if any.
Over training is a result of too many long workouts performed with insufficient rest periods between them. Your body cannot fully recover between these sessions, and if you continue you will be rewarded with one or more signs that you are over training. Unfortunately many who pursue weight training do not recognize these signs, leading to a state where they are unable to gain muscle mass no matter how hard they try.
You need to learn recognition of these symptoms and adapt your workout methods to take care of them. We can outline a few of these signs here:
• Lack of interest in workouts. If your daily trips to the gym begin with you hanging around the bench press station watching others perform and you just cannot get yourself started possibly you need to take a break.
• Low energy levels are a great sign that you need more rest. Physical activity demands that we burn glucose for energy. If your workouts are depleting your glucose levels beyond what your diet and rest periods are capable of replacing perhaps you need to consider a routine change. If you sustain a complete or near complete depletion of available glucose it will take approximately 24 hours for the stores to be replenished. This is your rest period and it IS NECESSARY!
• Your resting heart rate and morning blood pressure are elevated. Very noticeable signs that you are probably still fatigued and it is time for increased rest and recuperation periods.
• Deterioration of motor coordination. Well simple explanation here is for you to ask a diabetic how he feels when his blood sugar is too low. Or ask him to perform some simple card tricks or compete in slalom skiing. With decreased glucose levels your body does not have enough fuel to properly function. Decreased glucose level is the result of insufficient recuperation after physical activity. Learn to control it.
The obvious solution to over training is to prevent if from happening. Be aware that over training is a definite reality and make your plans with this reality in mind. As you increase your workout load do this gradually. Allow yourself to become accustomed to the extra demands of the workouts. Very important to prevent an over training episode is to maintain proper nutrition, particular emphasis on carbohydrates to allow replenishment of the glucose necessary to function. And of course plan for recuperation. Allowing 24-48 hour periods between training sessions provides the rest necessary to promote growth and continued health.
Gordon Chandler
Escape Your Shape
Turbulence Training Techniques
A No Nonsense Method to Shape Your Body
