Are You Working Out Too Hard?

Posted: Dec 02, 2009 |Comments: 0 | Views: 147 |

Next time you're in the gym, pause for a moment and look around. How many people do you see wearing braces of some kind? Elbow braces, knee braces, back braces, wrist braces. All of them clearly trying to continue at some previous level of workout intensity despite the fact that their joints are starting to give out on them. How many people do you know that work out six days a week, sometimes doubling up their cardio and their resistance training, trying to get the most bang for their weekly buck? Perhaps you're one of those people, hammering away day after day, sure that if you stop, if you take a break, all your muscles will sluice from your frame leaving you fat, bloated and ugly. Wake up! Over training is a very real problem, and everybody needs to know when to take a break.

At the very, very minimum, everybody should be resting one day out of the week. Even if you're training as hard as you can, you should be taking Sundays off to passively rest, which means sitting on your butt doing no exercise. Your body needs time to relax, to rebuild itself, to heal the damage you've done to it all week. If you insist on training every day, you will quickly burn out, injure yourself, or begin to accrue diminishing returns.

Even if you are working out only six days a week, you should consider adding another day or so of active rest. Active rest is when you work out for a moderate period of time (say 30 to 40 minutes) and simply exercise at a very light level, keeping your heart rate at about 130bpm. This ensures that you are causing your blood to circulate, that you are stretching out your muscles, and if you take the time to drink a recovery drink while doing so you can help deliver key nutrients to your body.

At this point somebody inevitably points out that a number of elite athletes train six days a week, and that clearly that's the formula for success. If Lance Armstrong cycles six days a week, or Arnold lifted weights for the same amount of time, then clearly you should too. Nonsense. Those are genetic freaks without day jobs who are often taking steroids and dedicating themselves full time to the maximization of their abilities. Often, even these elite athletes are over trained. So ask yourself. Are you an elite athlete? If not, then don't try to train like one.

If you cut down the amount of training you are doing, you will soon begin to reap enormous benefits. Old aches and pains will fade away, and you will return to the gym each time with energy and enthusiasm. Working out 3-4 times a week is an ideal number for excellent gains, optimal health and preventing over training. So don't become one of those guys strapped up with braces, trying to get into ridiculous shape despite the fact that their body is falling apart on them. Instead, moderate your workouts, give your body plenty of time to rest, and realize your potential without courting pain, frustration and injury!

Questions and Answers

Ask
200 Characters left
Rate this Article
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0 vote(s)
    Feedback
    Print
    Re-Publish
    Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/are-you-working-out-too-hard-1532497.html

    Article Tags:

    over training

    ,

    exercise

    ,

    fitness

    ,

    gym

    ,

    burning out

    ,

    weight lifting

    Available from Fitness Equipment websites like Connection Fitness, there are a variety of gloves to choose from - each with its own material and design solutions. They are specially made to ensure that they optimise grip and comfort without affecting movement.

    By: jamiehansonl Healthl Jun 10, 2010 lViews: 161

    Many young men have a tough time putting lean muscle on their skinny bodies. Sensible and consistent weight lifting can pack on the muscle in a matter of weeks. Follow these simple, but effective steps and you will be become a ripped, muscular man.

    By: Deborah Schaeferl Sports and Fitness> Muscle Buildingl Jul 18, 2008 lViews: 7,336 lComments: 1

    If you are just starting out then it is best to perform a whole body workout three times per week. This three day a week routine will allow the body adequate healing time in between workouts.

    By: ronnishl Healthl Oct 26, 2009

    Ways to impoove safe weight lifting.Tips to improve safe weight lifting.

    By: Mark Warringtonl Health> Men's Healthl Mar 22, 2011

    Are you new to bodybuilding and confused about the conflicting advice you are receiving from your fellow gym-goers regarding nutrition, workout routines and such? No problem. I have outlined the 6 of the most common weight lifting myths which will help you get a better understanding of bodybuilding in general. Keep reading and find out what these crucial myths are.

    By: Jim Atilsonl Sports and Fitness> Fitnessl Feb 01, 2009 lViews: 1,300

    Article identifies 5 common weight lifting mistakes and how to correct them to achieve better results from workouts.

    By: Melanie R. Jordanl Sports and Fitnessl Apr 09, 2008 lViews: 580 lComments: 1

    In our assay, treatment of A431 cellswith substances 6 and 11 led to decreased cell growth rateand their IC50 values were 3. 25 and 4. 24 lM which were closed toIC50 value associated with Lapatinib.

    By: parpforresearchl Healthl Feb 20, 2012

    Study the best ways to recognize plus address the actual symptoms of ear contamination. The actual the signs of the ears an infection is going to occur quickly. It is vital as a way to identify symptoms of the ears illness with an initial period to make the decision proper treatment and further prevention of problem like hearing loss and cracked eardrum. Generally indications of headsets infections may occur as a result of virus-like or perhaps bacterial infection that will loaded with liquid t

    By: ashanti barrettl Healthl Feb 20, 2012

    First generation physicians are trying to adopt technology as a way to connect with patients, whom 80% of the population now is very tech savvy. I think it's time that healthcare services or even the government should give smartphones to both physicians and patients so they can interact with each other via over-the-air.

    By: Alice Teel Healthl Feb 20, 2012

    You will recognize that there is so much that can be learned about health and alternative medicine, sometimes it is easy to get confused. However you will also realize that there are tons of men and women that never really give much thought to what they are putting in their bodies as well as what negative effects they could be having on them.

    By: aary0ftwpil Healthl Feb 20, 2012

    Professionals, for quite a while now, have considered that one can find hereditary and environmental factors operating in tandem to cause rheumatoid arthritis. Precisely how this occurs continues to be unknown. Data is pointing to the fact that there might be a variety of paths to developing RA.

    By: greb914one02l Healthl Feb 20, 2012

    The Brazil Butt Lift has taken the fitness world by storm, with Leandro Carvalhos unique booty-sculpting workout selling like hotcakes. This is in part due to the fact that he designed this workout for Alessandra Ambrosio, the Brazilian supermodel and Victoria Secret Angel, who has said, "Leandro is just the...

    By: Pablo Bressanl Healthl Apr 15, 2010 lViews: 229

    The biceps are widely regarded by serious weight lifters as 'vanity' muscles, since relative to the other muscles in the body they perform a very specific and limited job. Other muscles such as the hamstrings, deltoids, lats or glutes are used extensively in compound exercises, but biceps are almost incidental...

    By: Pablo Bressanl Healthl Dec 28, 2009 lViews: 259

    There you are again. Sitting in a locker room, having maxed out your squat at 525lbs, firmly in the middle of a plateau. Feeling dispirited, defeated, worthless, useless. A chlorine blue hypodermic needle on the bench before you, fat as your finger ad loaded up with choice horse steroids. It's...

    By: Pablo Bressanl Healthl Nov 14, 2009

    Everybody is always going on about nutrition. If you don't eat right, you won't get any results, if you don't ensure that you're consuming the right amount of calories, you'll either be too tired to work out, or actually lose muscle mass as well as fat. People aren't sure how...

    By: Pablo Bressanl Healthl Nov 04, 2009 lViews: 1,819

    Discuss this Article

    Author Box
    Articles Categories
    All Categories
    Quantcast