Overtraining

Overtraining is an unavoidable problem which can really stunt your muscle growth.  We all want to go to the gym and tear our muscles apart.  However, if you work your muscles out too hard or if you do not give yourself enough rest, you will actually lose muscle mass rather that gain it.

What is overtraining?

When you work out, you are actually putting so much stress on your muscle, that tiny tears begin to occur in your muscle.  While you are recovering, your body will create more muscle fibers to replace the damaged ones; resulting in an increase in muscle size.  However, your muscles need to rest in order for this growth to occur.

Overtraining occurs when you do not give your muscles enough time to rest.  Therefore you are putting more stress on your already damaged muscle fibers.  If you push too hard you can cause enough damage to your muscle that it will regress in size.  Not giving yourself enough rest can also result in serious injury which can keep you out of the gym for long periods of time.

How can I recognize overtraining?

The most obvious result of overtraining is that you will not see visible improvement in your muscles and physique.  You also will feel as if you are in plateau because you will not go up in weight during your workouts.  You might even start having to do less weight.

Another symptom of overtraining is that you will feel fatigued while you are not working out.  Obviously you are going to be a little tired after going to the gym but if you notice yourself constantly tired, this can be a result of overtraining.

Another telltale sign of overtraining is injury.  Injuries occur at the gym.  However, if you notice yourself pulling a muscle or injuring a joint every other week, you are probably overtraining.

How can I avoid overtraining?

The good thing about overtraining is that it is easily avoidable.  To avoid overtraining, make sure you give your muscles ample rest.  After a workout, a muscle must rest for a MINIMUM of two days.  Doing chest two days in a row is a sure way to hurt yourself.

Another important way to avoid overtraining is to know how many reps you should be doing per week for each body part.  This link gives you a good range for the number of reps you should be doing for each body part: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/optimal-workout-volume/.  Of course, each person is different so you must get to know your body before being able to truly know your limit.

An easy way to avoid overtraining is to give yourself periods of time away for the gym.  Although you want to be in the gym every day, giving yourself a week off every two or three months will allow your body to fully heal itself and prepare for the next week of workouts.