Avoid OverTraining - By Pete Sisco

How to completely and permanently avoid overtraining.

The key to avoiding overtraining and finding your optimal training frequency is to closely monitor the progress you make on each exercise in your workout and identify any sign of slowed or arrested progress. Not progressing in one exercise out of 5 is a yellow flag. Not progressing in two or more is a red flag and means you need to add time off.

Quick Measures of Over Training:

The weight used on each exercise did not increase. Strength training is all about progressive overload. That means you should return to the gym fully recovered and able to lift slightly heavier weights than you did last workout.

The number of reps or the static hold time on each exercise did not increase. If your weight on an exercise did not increase (see above) then your reps or the time of your static hold should have. (Note: recent research suggests that static holds beyond 12 seconds yield less benefit than increased weight with shorter hold times.)

It took you longer to do the same workout. Progress is driven by intensity of muscular output. Intensity is a function of time. So even if you do the identical workout today that you did three days ago but manage to do it in less time, your intensity has increased. But the reverse is also true, so watch out for taking extra time to do the same routine. Lower intensity can not build new muscle.

Try This On Your Next Workout

Try this simple test on your next workout. On each exercise multiply the number of reps you do by the poundage. For example: bench press 175 lbs 12 times and you get 2,100. Next time you do the bench press see if that number has increased. If it hasn't, you have not fully recovered and need more days off between every workout. I work with advanced trainees who do one workout every six weeks. That's not a misprint. That means it takes them twelve weeks to get back to training each bodypart. And they make progress on every exercise on every workout and they lift enormously heavy weights. You can too.

How long have you been training with the same frequency? Look for the yellow flags that indicate your training frequency is not optimum. Adding an extra day or more off can turn a stale workout into a fantastic mass and strength booster.

All the best,

Pete

About the author:

Peter Sisco is co-author of Power Factor Training, Static Contraction Training and other books. He is also the editor of the five-book "Ironman's Ultimate Bodybuilding" series.

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