overtraining

Dilen147 · 11-04-2006, 08:23 PM

At the moment for big body parts im doing about 15-18 sets and for smaller body parts about 9-12 sets so if i did chest and tri together it would be something like 25 sets total. I am told this is overtraining. There are certain sympton of overtraining such as general tiredness which you read about in magazines but some sources say that there is no such thing as overtraining just under eating and under resting. I have been getting good results but would i get better results if i cut down? Does there get a point when ur wasting ur time coz uve killed all the fibres anyway?

Andy1981iron · 11-04-2006, 10:22 PM

You've hit the nail on the head there Dilen. I'm almost sure you would make much better gains if you reduced your training volume. Most newbies and many more experienced bodybuilders overtrain. They may still make gains so this stops them from changing, but they would make better gains if they did!

I think this is the volume your average natural bodybuilder should be looking at doing...its also my current routine.

Tuesday - Chest, shoulders and triceps.

(in work sets)

3 x Flat barbell bench press
2 x Dips
2 x Incline bench press
3 x Standing military press
2 x Side lateral raises
3 x Close grip bench press

Thursday - Back, Rear delts, Biceps, Traps

3 x Bent rows
3 x Wide grip pulldowns
2 x Seated close grip cable row
2 x Bent over lateral raises
3 x Standing db curls
3 x Smith machine shrugs

Saturday - Legs, grip work

5 x Squats
3 x Hamstring curls
3 x Deadlifts
2 x Wrist rollers with cable
2 x Grippers

I throw calves in at least once per week on no particular day.

Dilen147 · 11-04-2006, 10:41 PM

i understand that doing chest twice in one week is overtraining obviously but how can doing a hard session with sufficient rest and eating be overtraining? Is the bottom line that it doesnt take much to stimulate the muscles for growth. My training partner is always talking about how you must have DOMS otherwise you are wasting ur time. Is it a case of what works best for certain people or have i been misled?

sunilbassi · 12-04-2006, 01:17 PM

As I am currently on a cut I use high rep and high volume of workout that Dilen described in his first post. Having said that I find that high volume enables a thrashing of all muscle fibres. I am an advocate of the whole overtraining thing being blown out of all proportions. There is no way you can overtrain in one session of workout. Overtraining will occur over a period of time and be made worse by below par eating, sleeping etc. Obviously I am talking from my experience of high volume workouts. Typically say for chest and tri's I would have 12 sets for chest and say 6 for triceps incorporating the meat and potato exercises for mass. I have used low volume workouts well also, but enjoyed greater gains from high volume. High volume also keeps you in shape

If we want to do low volume lets all on chest day load the bar up with 140kg and lay there with a spotter and pump out partials, then go back and have a MaccyD's.

11-04-2006, 08:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Dilen147 Under Construction Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6 Rep Power:	overtraining At the moment for big body parts im doing about 15-18 sets and for smaller body parts about 9-12 sets so if i did chest and tri together it would be something like 25 sets total. I am told this is overtraining. There are certain sympton of overtraining such as general tiredness which you read about in magazines but some sources say that there is no such thing as overtraining just under eating and under resting. I have been getting good results but would i get better results if i cut down? Does there get a point when ur wasting ur time coz uve killed all the fibres anyway?

11-04-2006, 10:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dilen147 Under Construction Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6 Rep Power:	confused i understand that doing chest twice in one week is overtraining obviously but how can doing a hard session with sufficient rest and eating be overtraining? Is the bottom line that it doesnt take much to stimulate the muscles for growth. My training partner is always talking about how you must have DOMS otherwise you are wasting ur time. Is it a case of what works best for certain people or have i been misled?

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11-04-2006, 10:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
Andy1981iron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hull Posts: 833 Rep Power:	You've hit the nail on the head there Dilen. I'm almost sure you would make much better gains if you reduced your training volume. Most newbies and many more experienced bodybuilders overtrain. They may still make gains so this stops them from changing, but they would make better gains if they did! I think this is the volume your average natural bodybuilder should be looking at doing...its also my current routine. Tuesday - Chest, shoulders and triceps. (in work sets) 3 x Flat barbell bench press 2 x Dips 2 x Incline bench press 3 x Standing military press 2 x Side lateral raises 3 x Close grip bench press Thursday - Back, Rear delts, Biceps, Traps 3 x Bent rows 3 x Wide grip pulldowns 2 x Seated close grip cable row 2 x Bent over lateral raises 3 x Standing db curls 3 x Smith machine shrugs Saturday - Legs, grip work 5 x Squats 3 x Hamstring curls 3 x Deadlifts 2 x Wrist rollers with cable 2 x Grippers I throw calves in at least once per week on no particular day.

12-04-2006, 01:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
sunilbassi Under Construction Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 16 Rep Power:	As I am currently on a cut I use high rep and high volume of workout that Dilen described in his first post. Having said that I find that high volume enables a thrashing of all muscle fibres. I am an advocate of the whole overtraining thing being blown out of all proportions. There is no way you can overtrain in one session of workout. Overtraining will occur over a period of time and be made worse by below par eating, sleeping etc. Obviously I am talking from my experience of high volume workouts. Typically say for chest and tri's I would have 12 sets for chest and say 6 for triceps incorporating the meat and potato exercises for mass. I have used low volume workouts well also, but enjoyed greater gains from high volume. High volume also keeps you in shape If we want to do low volume lets all on chest day load the bar up with 140kg and lay there with a spotter and pump out partials, then go back and have a MaccyD's.