Are You Over Training in the Gym?


Every set was taken to positive failure, with three or more forced reps on top of that and if that wasn't enough I would throw in a few negative reps to top it off. This type of training would leave me totally exhausted and render me sore for days after every session.

The constant battering to my body lowered my immune system and I would always be sick or injured. I would take time off training and then go back to it again, all the time gaining nothing in size or strength.

Can you imagine years and years of hard work like this all for nothing. The sad reality is that I still see it going on around me now? The cold hard facts are that over 80% of the regular trainees in your gym are overtraining. That's right, 80%, disturbing isn't it?

Traditional training techniques like volume training are ineffective and downright dangerous, having been passed down from the previous training generations and unquestionably followed at all costs.

The only people making any progress on these systems are the so called 'bodybuilding stars' who have superb genetics (about 2% of the general population) and are taking massive amounts of steroids (very expensive and dangerous).

So please don't fall into the same overtraining trap as many others have, if you haven't made any gains for a long time now and maybe suffer from one or more of the symptoms found below stop!! Stop wasting your time and effort for nothing.

• Reoccurring colds and sickness
• Sore joints and muscles
• Unwillingness to go to the gym to train
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Chronic fatigue

Put a stop to overtraining by understanding that the two main components of strength training are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise.

Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional muscle size and stop overtraining.

Have a look at some scientific principles found below and practice them in the gym and you will be on the road to greater gains in muscle size without the problem of overtraining. Limited Energy Level

A strength-training program should be short and simple; you only have a limited amount of energy per training session.

Scientific studies reveal that blood sugar levels (energy) start to deplete after 30 mins, so exercise selection and the time taken to perform them is crucial.

What you should be aiming for is stimulating as many muscle fibres in the shortest period of time available, leaving the gym and going home to grow.

To do this, you will have to perform high intensity workouts consisting of multijoint, compound movements in the shortest amount of time so that blood sugar levels don't deplete.

Progressive Overload

Progressive Overload is the main exercise principle you need to be aware of in order to get the results that you're after with strength training.

The three most important points are:

• Complete your exercise with perfect technique

• Push to total failure when doing a set

• Overload the weight on the bar progressively.

Basically this means that when the body is stressed by high intensity training beyond its normal demands, the body will adapt to these new demands of improved strength.

Once your muscles have adapted to a particular weight then it'll be time to overload them further (add more weight, speed, repetitions). You'll need to keep on repeating this process of overload and adaptation if you want to become stronger.

Training Frequency

The sad reality is that the popular high volume type of training techniques that you find in bodybuilding books and magazines (and used by the stars) are irrelevant to the majority of the population and has a high failure rate.

What is good for the latest bodybuilding star is probably not good for you. Everybody has different genetics; most of us have poor genetics and are not taking steroids like the stars.

The only way the majority of us can make any gains at all is to perform short intense workouts followed by long periods of rest so that you don't over train.

Over Compensation

Many studies at universities, conducted around the world have shown clearly that recuperation from strength training requires far more rest time than previously thought.

Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is necessary for you to increase your functional muscle.

Here's what you need to do - allow your body enough recuperation time for over compensation to take place, so that the muscles can adjust to their new strength and growth.

Exercise selection for intensity

I can't stress enough of how exercise selection is absolutely crucial. There are only a few exercises that you really need to perform. These exercises consist of multi-joint movements.

These particular exercises are far superior to that of isolation exercises (working 1 muscle group at a time) because you are required to use more muscles from every muscle group.

By following these principles you will not only develop greater muscle size but also banish overtraining for good.

Gary is the author of several ebooks, including "Maximum Weight Loss in Ten Weeks" - the complete ebook and time-saving solution for burning away unwanted fat, and "Maximum Weight Gain in Ten Weeks" - easy-to-use and follow techniques that serve as a guide to muscle growth without having to "live in the gym".

Visit Gary's website at http://www.maximumfitness.com/

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Building Muscle Information:

Related Articles

Abdominal Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders.
The abdomen contains the muscles that most beginners struggle with because they take a long time to develop and need a low level of body fat to be seen. The abdominal muscle group consists of three main muscles: 1.
Exercise The Right Way - Seated Pulley Rows
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes.
Build More Muscle and Lose More Fat by Discovering the Power of Training Variables!
Everyone will inadvertently hit a frustrating plateau in their training at one time or another. You're cruising along for a while, gaining strength, losing fat, looking better, and then all of the sudden it hits.
The Dangerous Secret of Extreme Muscle Growth
You've decided to join a gym, but you're not sure the best way to work out, and don't want to pay for a personal trainer who may not really know what he's talking about? Already an experienced weight lifter, but aren't getting the results you want? Read on for the best tips for working out if you have a full gym facility, and the secret to extreme muscle growth.Before and AfterYou should always warm up before lifting any weights.
Exercise The Right Way - The Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes.
How To Avoid Injury From Poor Exercise Performance!
Another key secret is your exercise form. Perfect form is critical when performing any specific exercise in your own routine.
How These 3 Basic Elements Can Be Used To Boost Your Own Muscle Gains!
The foolish idea that 'more is better' when it comes to bodybuilding goes directly against the basics of exercise science. When is comes to increasing your rate of muscle gains, more exercise is almost never what is needed.
Muscle Building Workouts and Tips: Dos and Donts
Packing on Muscle mass involves a lot of dedication and care. At times, trying too hard can have its negative effects too.
Know Your Muscle Building Exercises - The Legs
Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her favorite exercises for each body part. That's how it should be - as you progress through the various stages of learning you'll understand what works best for you.
Four Powerful Tricks for Successful Lucid Dreaming
By definition, Lucid Dreaming means "conscious awareness during the dream state." But how can this be? Every book I've ever read on dreaming has described the dream state as being an entry into the unconscious, so how can you possibly be conscious during dreaming, and be able to enter your dreams.
The Anabolic Evolution of Modern Bodybuilding
Since the early days of physical culture, modern man has been searching for the elusive ''Fountain of Youth''. The promise of radiant health, enduring strength and a Herculean physique has drawn millions on this quest for physical perfection.
How to Build a Bigger and Better Chest
Creating a larger more powerful chest is difficult but if you follow this easy workout you'll see results in no time.Each of the chest exercises listed should be done with proper form to not only avoid injury, but the better your form is, the better results you will get.
Bodybuilding Benefits - The Price for Confidence!
Success came to me at an early age. However, it did not come without a price.
Maximize The Windows of Opportunity For Explosive Muscle Growth
You have two main windows of opportunity when your training. One is 30 minutes before you train (pre-workout meal) and another comes about 30-60 minutes after your workout is over (post-workout meal).
Before and After Photos in Fitness Magazines
Some supplement companies will go to any lengths to prove their products' effectiveness. But sometimes the evidence isn't quite what it's cracked up to be.
Get A Grip! Get More Out Of Your Biceps Curls
Would you like to know how to get more out of every single dumbell curl you do? Amazingly enough, you can do this simply by changing where you grip the dumbell.First, I'm going to tell you what the trick is, then I'm going to tell you exactly how and why it works.
An Amazing Technique That Can Make Your Gains Skyrocket While Others Have Reached A Sticking Point!
If you clearly understand and apply the principles involved in natural bodybuilding, you will experience very rapid muscle gains. However, over a long term, eventually a 'sticking point' or plateau in your training may be reached.
Strong To The Core of Your Being - The Benefits Of Core Training
If you were to ask me which muscle group in your entire body you could work to get the greatest benefits in the shortest amount of time, I would tell you without hesitation, "the core." Strengthening the core can realize tremendous benefits to anyone regardless of his or her training experience and can do so very quickly.
Pipes, Guns, Bazookas - Killer Biceps
Pipes. Guns.
Enough Already! Stop Coming Up With New Weight Loss Programs...
Great weight loss techniques are completely worthless.That's a true statement 99.