My thought of the day: There is no such thing as overtraining....

[WalkingBeast]

I think that it is really an individual thing, like most things regarding weight training. There are some people out there who have incredible recovery times, and others who are very slow to recover. Maybe it does have to do with their diet, but all I know is there is a wide differnce in people's recovery time. Like most triaining ideas, I say go with what works for you.

Agreed also

 

[majutsu]

I like this thread. I see your point. To use Mike Mentzer's old analogy, workouts dig a hole. If you dig a really deep hole, you may need 2 weeks recouperation, but you should recover eventually. But to not limit your intensity in the gym is real important. My idea of high-intensity is to put on a good 3-rep weight, then push out 8-reps or so, telling myself that I can always rest more, recouperate, do whatever, but just one more rep now . . . right now . . . you get the idea. Then some negatives . . . So I too often motivate myself with the thought, "This is it. Right here. The only set there is. I can always rest, hell I might even die tomorrow, but this set is it." Basically, it's a variant of what your saying biogeared

 

[callthedoctor]

I kinda agree with eating post....seems in my case, the less calories I have, the lower my gym performance....then mentally, I break down and start to think I'm overtraing (instead I'm just wussin' out..)

It's hard though...weighing 250, I'm always wanting to cut...but knowing I'll lose muscle if I do is not desireable either...Seems the more I eat (good, whole foods)...the better I lift, the bigger/stronger I get...but I still always seem to be battling my spare tire (relatively clean everywhere else...)

Good Post.

 

[JT Iron]

....only under-recouperating.


The minute you think of the word overtraining in the gym, conciously or not, you are placing limits on your workout. These limits attempt to hold you back and stop progression through the fear of overtraining. If one can break these mental limits while training, one can succeed in the gym.

Discuss my words of wisdom.

max out on deadlifts every single day for a week, and let us know how it goes.

 

[strongsmartsexy]

As I get older, my ability to recuperate quickly diminishes. My diet is still basically the same, although less carbs. I listen to what my body is telling me.

 

[Lord_Suston]

You can overtrain, pretty simple is that even with enough cals and rest you muscles will heal but maybe not your tendons and ligaments. Now think about your CNS if overtrain from a scientific point of view the Nissl substance that create acetylcyholine and other neurotransmitters will disperse in the neuon and slow down action potentioals. So hence there is overytraining.

 

[majutsu]

True enough, Lord Suston, but I think he meant in a Tony Robbins sense, not a scientific sense. Like a "motivation thought" kinda thing.

 

[aerowana]

If I do heavy 1Rm deadlifts twice in 7 days, I am bound to get sick. I get sore throat and light fever and general dizziness. And I do rest for the 7 days in between but still feel sick. And end up going down in my bench and squat as well. So I do think there is such a thing as overtraining.

 

[Forge]

Myself, I easily go into overtraining if I do too many sets, I get run down, sick, and end up losing size

I'm the exact same way. Every time I've tried volume training I get sick within a week or two. My body just can't handle it. This is why routines like HST and hardgainer programs work better for me.