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Q: What is the Definition of Overtraining?
 
A: When you really think about it, what is the definition of overtraining? It would vary for everyone b…
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great tips Hawk:

- rotating parts, or splits, is a good way to give your primary movers a chance to rest but still allow you to train frequently.

- you definitely need to make sure you are eating enough to pack your body with nutrients and amino acid building blocks, and that you are getting enough rest to allow your muscles to repair

- regular rest days are essential, but it’s a fine line between getting enough rest and not training enough to maximize gains and progress

it’s harder for weekend warriors to overtrain than full-time/elite athletes, but it is certainly possible if you go hard enough for long enough. the nice thing about overtraining as a weekend warrior is that you can as much time to recover and bounce back as you need without worrying about losing out on training time or not hitting goals.

FOAM ROLL!!!!!

http://muscledog.com/article/view/78/CHEAP_MASSAGE_HAPPY_ENDING_GUARANTEED

Foam Roll is one of the best recovery inventions created. It’s amazing how the simplicity of this foam roll can actually make your muscles feel a thousand times better… gotta love it 

Many people think they are over trained when in reality they have hit a plateau…
 
Changing up your workouts and reevaluating your diet/supplementation could be the key to get you out of this mind set…
 
Your body may have adapted to your current routine and or caloric/macro levels…
 
 
Here are some tips
 
1. Diet: overlook your diet to make sure you are getting enough calories.  Experiment with different macro ratios by increasing or decreasing proteins, carbs, and fats… What works for one person may not be the answer for another.  Research and experiment with different protein powders, and pre/post nutrition…
 
2. More resistance: an old saying among bodybuilders advises, “Go heavy or go home.” This statement reflects the training philosophy of lifting heavy resistance to build size. The more resistance used, the bigger the muscles will become.
 
3. Forced reps: Forced reps are an advanced training method that extends a set past the point of failure. A training partner or f your free hand helps finish the repetition after your muscles fail. You can apply as many as 3 forced reps to an exercise if you use them correctly.
 
4. Controlling the negative: the eccentric portion of a repetition is when the weight returns to its starting point. This is also referred to as the negative part of a repetition. Many exercise physiologists have theorized that the negative portion of each rep causes the most damage to the muscle fibers, which later contributes to their growth. It is also agreed that the negative part of the repetition builds strength and power more than the concentric part of a repetition.
 
5. Power rack partials: another technique for improving strength on the basic exercises is partial repetition in a power rack. Placing the pins at a specific location in a power rack limits the range of motion for an exercise, allowing partials reps.
 
6. More Volume: as you move past the beginning stages as a bodybuilder, one way to make your workouts more intense is to add exercises and, consequently, more sets.
 
7. 10 sets of 10.
 
8. Resting less in between sets!!!!
 
9. Super sets: another method for completing a workout at a faster pace is to use supersets. A superset consists of 2 exercises with no rest between the two movements. Supersets can involve exercises for opposing muscle groups or two exercises for the same muscle group.
 
10. Preexhaustion: another method of superseding is to combine two exercises for the same muscle group. This is called preexhaustion and uses an isolation exercise super settled with a basic exercise to exhaust a muscle to failure.
 
11. Drop sets: drop sets are an excellent way to increase intensity. After reaching failure in a set, the lifter uses a lighter weight for the next set back to back.
 
12. More sleep and rest!!!!
 
13. Change up your cardio: Either do HIIT separate from your training or do steady state cardio in the morning on an empty stomach or right after your weight training session
 
14.    Make sure you partake in active stretching, warm ups, foam rolling ect.
 
15. Stay hydrated: Drink about 1 gallon of water a day

Please share any your tips!!

For hard training folks that want to support their body in the most advantageous way, here is what I recomend…

1) get in the sun without sunblock.  Google is your friend if you dont understand this.  Use vitamin D in your search and dont form an opinion until you have spend at leat 30 minutes reading.

2) Get Omega 3’s.  Fish oil, flax, grass fed beef.  I dont care.  Again, if you are confused, use google and read a lot.

3)  Eat Ginger as well as lots of berries and fruits.  Make these things as large of a component of your diet as you can afford and can accomplish without compromising your protein and fat intake.

4)  sleep.  If you are not doint this, nothing else matters.

5)  If you do all these things, and still no success, eat more fat first of all, and second of all eat more protein

if you are doing these things, and not recovering, then start doing these things…

1)  Get in a steam bath or sauna or hot tub every day.  after that, get in a cool or cold pool and swim around.

2)  Do MORE from the first list.  More sleep, MORE fat and protein in your diet.

If the first list doesnt work, and the second doesnt work or is impossible or unpalatable, then cut down on your training.