What constitutes overtraining

[bigp3]

Dorian was a pioneer in training. He advocated a basic routine that consisted of low volume high intesity hig frequency workouts. People say he did a lot of sets but that is bogus. Many people misunderstand what he was doing and count his warmup sets as part of his volume. If you can find his book "Blood and Guts" it is a good read. It is very basic but it will give you insight into his way of thinking. I believe what seperated Dorian from the pack was that he did not blindly follow what others were doing. He thought about things and did what made sense.

 

[bicepts101]

Your body adapts to your routine after about 4 weeks, so why not go 4 weeks balls to the wall, then cruise for a week, then start over? That's basically what I do, except I do it in different levels...it's not just balls to the wall and cruise.

What goes on during the cruising phase? Low intensity and low volume? Active recovery?

Bulldog,
what is your routine on your cruise week. Like how many reps and do you go to failure? Im not sure what constitutes "cruise".

 

[Bulldog_10]

Bulldog,
what is your routine on your cruise week. Like how many reps and do you go to failure? Im not sure what constitutes "cruise".

I don't have cruise weeks, that's what i was asking.

 

[pharmguy]

This may sound ignorant, what is a cruise week?

 

[Debaser]

Bulldog, I think you're confused as to what gains muscle, as are 95% of weight trainees.

So many people think it is "mixing it up" because your body "constantly adapts" and needs "new stimulus" to continue growth. BULLSHIT. I've said it millions of times:

PROGRESSIVE POUNDAGES IS WHAT BUILDS MUSCLE.

If you squat 100 lbs now and in a few years you squat 500 lbs, you will be completely transformed. If you "mix it up" and change your routine every month then in a few years you'll probably be squatting 150-200 lbs, and won't have changed much. Periodization in the sense that most people describe, is a bunch of horseshit. It's a new spin on the same tired old high volume split routines that most trainees give up on. Go ahead and listen to Poliquin. But first, name one hardcore bodybuilder that he has produced.

 

[babbabuee]

I always wondered how those guys in prison got so big. I'm sure they weren't drinking 8 scoops of protein mega mass in a shake every day with steak and chicken whenever they want it.
I think those guys get big in prison because of that frequency. I mean shit, if you were in prison, wouldn't you lift 7 days a week? what the fuck would you do on your off day if you were to take one, play scrabble with your cell mate?
So my question is, why am I so hesitant to try these new methods? It's not like I'm huge at 5'9" 173lbs after years of on and off lifting.
Overall, I think the key is consistency. going to the gym day in and day out and staying on top of your dieting/rest. Low intensity, high volume, either way at the gym you'll grow if you go. question is, which method will you grow more from?

 

[Payphone_Johnny]

What constitutes overtraining ?

Most of the people's training splits on almost any board.
This 4 on 1 off shit is fucking rediculous. Your body recuperates as a whole (nervous system) not by the sum of it's parts (the logic of it's been 5 or 6 days since I trained my quads,ect).

 

[Jordaz]

I always wondered how those guys in prison got so big. I'm sure they weren't drinking 8 scoops of protein mega mass in a shake every day with steak and chicken whenever they want it.
I think those guys get big in prison because of that frequency. I mean shit, if you were in prison, wouldn't you lift 7 days a week? what the fuck would you do on your off day if you were to take one, play scrabble with your cell mate?

I wonder the same thing. My bro went to the pen for 4 years and came out a monster! They train every day. each bodypart 2-3 times a week. On top of all this they dont get to eat 6- 8 meals a day and no supplements. Things that make you go Hummmmmmm

 

[Singleton]

Some things that have been mentioned:
Frequency may contribute to gains
Intensity stimulates gains quickly
Consecutive intense workouts can lead to bodypart AND systemic overtraining


My training style is HIT for muscle growth, but I do other stuff. Yoga, HIIT, light weights.


I call this other stuff "Training for recovery." You're not going to lose muscle by training well below your capacity, but you will stretch the fascia, engorge the muscle with blood, and promote recouperation, raise your testosterone levels, release endorphins, and create a post-workout state that can be anabolic if you eat the right nutrients soon enough.

Training for recovery won't force your body to grow. For that, use HIT. Training for recovery will help your body recover. It can also improve your total health.

Should you cycle this training? Why not integrate it in a staggered fashion. If you did chest HIT style one WO, the next chest WO could be very low intensity -- maybe just a warmup, pump, squeeze, and stretch with light weights, high reps (12-20), and some stretching in the sun.

Next chest workout would be HIT, balls-out.


The most important thing is to be able to detect overtraining. When you can pinpoint overtraining, then you know your threshold.

 

[Lift Chief]

I like 4-6 working sets to failure per muscle group... working out EOD so that the CNS can recover.