Feel Overtrained

For the last 2-3 weeks, Iv’e been hitting the weights pretty hard.

I worked out 5-6 days a week, lifting in the 90% amd up every other day, and supplmenting the main lifts with heavy exercises also.

My “non heavy days” consisted of 5x5, 6x4, and etc.

I made pretty good gains, with lots of sleep and food.

This past saturday my workout:
A1. Military 6x4
A2. Cleans 6x4
B1. Dips 4x6
B2. Neutral Grip Pull ups 4x6

I think I pushed it over with that workout. I had a hard time sleeping for the past 2 nights, and when I hit the gym today, I felt terribly weak, and had to change my workout.

Now, I gained 5 punds of body weight and 15 pounds on my bench in the past 2-3 weeks. I feel like i need to deload, but I’m afraid of losing that new gained strength completely.

Should I take the whole rest of the week off, or should I incorporate some light stuff.
Today I did

  1. Dips 2x12
  2. Assited pullups 2x12
  3. Body weight split squats 2x12
  4. Calves 4x10

I Would appreciated any advice, thanks

I’m in the same boat. I’m still gaining strength but my body is starting to complain at the lack of a break. But I can’t bring myself to take a whole week off!

So I’ve changed my workout split to a nice, low volume style program. I still work all my muscle groups but only for about 4 sets each. Two low rep sets for strength, and 2 high reps sets for the pump. And I’m concentrating on building my calves. This way I hope I’m giving myself a bit of a rest but still moving towards a goal.

I rest at least 1 day between workouts. On the rest day, because I’m at work anyway I do some light cardio and stretch.

Pull
Seated Row
Cuban Rotation
Lat Pulldown
Standing Ext R
DB Shrug
DB Conc Curl

Push
DB Press
Calf Pr
DB Shldr Press
Calf Pr
Supine Ext R
Flyes (may replace with Tri’s)

Legs
Cleans (3 sets cos they’re great)
BB Shrug
Back Squat (3 sets cos ditto)
Reverse Flyes
Lunges

You guys are NUTS. Take a week off. Don’t you ever take time off? Do you ever back off? It is one of the most important parts of your training. Do a search on this site

Read this especially 4
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=506166

Read this

http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=05-010-training

I do back off. I’m backing off right now. I just can’t bring myself to stop completely.

Maybe I need to see Dr Phil. I’m sure his special blend of texan home spun advice would set me right.

[quote]Magarhe wrote:
You guys are NUTS. Take a week off. Don’t you ever take time off? Do you ever back off? It is one of the most important parts of your training. Do a search on this site

Read this especially 4
http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=506166

Read this

http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=05-010-training

[/quote]

It is a psychological thing. I know some world-level athletes that for a long time never took a DAY off.

I feel I will be flamed for this but I never keep a static workout schedule such as ‘monday -chest’ or ‘tuesday-biceps/back’, I go with how I am feeling, somedays I am a little bit more worn down than others and on a worn out day I am not going to do legs, I definetly make sure I hit every muscle group ATLEAST once a week but as for saying ‘wow im so tired, it sucks that today is tuesday and that is my chest day’, I just change it to a less demanding muscle group, I have my protein through diet and protein shakes,

Its personally hard for me to help without knowing your body weight and if you try to eat correctly and if your taking protein to help repair muscles, someone that works out super hard 5x a week and doesnt have enough protein will eventually have a negative effect and it will hit them pretty hard

I think food and, maybe even more importantly, sleep, have a big effect on overtraining.

If you don’t want to take time off, try getting some extra sleep.

You can also just back off in intensity or take a few days off, either in a row or through out the week, like 2-3 days instead of 4-5 a week.

Take a day off, rest.

Start back with one less set with less weight for each of your exercises. Go with some different exercises.

I have done this for years and I agree with Sxio, there is no way I could take off a entire week.

I would go crazy without my dumbells.

JW