Am I Overtraining?

P

pnx1

Member
Is it alright to do cardio using videos (step/hilo) in the AM (5-6x a week) and do a 3x a week heavy strength training program at the gym during lunch break? My goal is to have more bulk in my muscles.

Or should I skip cardio on my strength training days?

4:30 am 12 pm
Mon Cardio Chest/Shldr/Tri(Gym)
Tue Cardio
Wed Cardio Legs (Gym)
Thu Cardio
Fri Cardio Back/Biceps
Sat Cardio (opt)
Sun Rest day


Another question?Is Pilates/Yoga/Stretching considered a workout? What if before going to sleep, I will do a short stretch tape?
 
Depends on some things...How long is each cardio session? Are you trying to lose weight? If your goal is only to gain muscle bulk, I'd say you don't need all that cardio. However, if you're only doing 20-30 minutes each cardio session I wouldn't think it would hurt. How long have you been doing this routine? How does your body feel - fit and strong, or worn out? If worn out most of the time, you're overtraining. Also, if you've been doing this routine for several weeks, try cutting out some cardio and concentrate on the weights more. Shock your muscles.

Just my .02 based on my recent experience.
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Sep-03-02 AT 08:20AM (Est)[/font][p]Hello,

Well, you are certainly doing a lot there. Will you have the energy? I do not do 2 regimes in one day, it's cardio one day and weigths the next. If the session is particularly heavy like MIS, or if it is an intense cardio like IMAX or MIC, then I do an easier cardio to recoup my energy. This is the best method for me otherwise I end up exhausted.

I exercise for 1-1.5hr a day (somedays I do just 1/2hr of running) 4-5 times a week and do 1.5 hour once a week like BodyMax or a very long run. My rountine is something like this:

Mon: MIS
Tues: 1/2hr run or any of Cathe's 60mins step tape.
Wedns: PH or running or rest
Thurs: PH (if not the day before) or IMAX or MIC
Fri: Any Cathe step or rest or 1/2hr run
Sat: Running or step
Sun: BodyMax or run 1.5hr

I am not a devotee of rotations, I just know that I should 1-3 weights session a week and cardios in between.

Right now, I am training for a 10K run, so weight session is only 1-2 times a week and the rest is running.

I know that I would not have the energy or time to follow your routine, but if you can manage it then I don't see any problems why you shouldn't do it.

*Remember that a rest is a good as a workout. Your body is still burning calories 24hr after your work out so if you do stretching the following day that is very effective.
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Sep-03-02 AT 11:56AM (Est)[/font][p]BTW, I'm a guy! Maybe that's why I have more energy to do all these activities. :)

Since 1996, I've been a cardio freak. And you guessed it, I'm a skinny guy. Until last year, I decided to change my physique. I was motivated by a bodybuilder to "avoid" cardio as much as possible 'cause it prevents me from building muscle - But he didn't tell me that it will make me fat :)

August 2001 till May 2002, everybody was shocked how BIG I became.

Until my girlfriend told me that - those aren't muscles. those are fats. I was depressed. months of hardwork, all i have are FATS.

So, I decided to take a week off from weight training. And all I did was CARDIO, ON AN EMPTY STOMACH! It worked! In just one week, I shed all my bodyfat(?) and / or muscles (?).

Why did I say muscles? A month later, I bought a Polar A5 and found out that I've been jogging at 90% of my HR for 45 mins. And that's anaerobic already. Sigh!

So, now. I combined the two. Cardio in the morning +weights in the afternoon. And now I look better. LEANER, with cuts.

I've been doing this routine for 3 months now with no problems. But lately, i noticed that I should REALLY cut down on my cardio.I'm having difficulties bulking up in the gym even if I increase my poundages.

Now, help me out here please. I want to wake up CONSISTENTLY at 4 am so my bodyclock will automatically wake me up. How abt if I change my routine to this-

MWF - cardio (4 am)
TTHS - stretch/pilates/yoga (4 am) + Strength Training (12 noon)
Sun - rest
Thanks!!!
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Sep-03-02 AT 12:47PM (Est)[/font][p]I'm not Cathe, and I hope she does have some input for you, but here goes -

I'm sure others will have more input on your rotation, and I think that maybe all the cardio is burning fat and the muscle you've worked hard for. You should give your new rotation a try for several weeks and see what that does, if not you can always go back to what you were doing.

No one's asked yet - but I assume you're getting the proper nutrition - the right amount of proteins, etc, right? That makes a big difference. Like I said, I assume you know that, but when I looked at what I was really eating, I was shocked. I made some changes and am still tweaking so that I can build a little more muscle and get rid of the last cellulite deposits.
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Sep-03-02 AT 01:17PM (Est)[/font][p]Would you believe, i've been testing out different diets while on this rotation, i.e. cardio daily with weight training?

For 2 weeks, I ate 2 pieces of chicken from KFC or McDonald's EVERYDAY? With 2 scoops of rice everytime I eat? And Large Coke /Pepsi? A stuffed pizza for snack, and a pint of ice cream on weekends. I'm waiting for my love handles to get big the next day for a week, but still, no change or increase in waist size. LOL!

But, this time, I'm making my diet clean. :)
 
Hello again,

I still think you are doing a lot, even for a man. I don't mean to sound critical, but your diet and fitness regime were verging on the extreme - eating all manner of junk food and over-exercising.

I would like to see how your body changes over time so please keep me up-to-date on your progress.
 
ok - you hit a nerve

Hi Pnx1,

While males may be stronger that doesn't give them more energy or endurance. Women may have the edge on endurance because we are more efficient fat burners which preserves muscle glycogen - meaning we don't bonk.

Whatever your workout routine, you'll maximize results with healthful eating & adequate rest.

Good luck reaching your goals!
Debra
 
RE: ok - you hit a nerve

>Hi Pnx1,
>
>While males may be stronger that
>doesn't give them more energy
>or endurance. Women may
>have the edge on endurance
>because we are more efficient
>fat burners which preserves muscle
>glycogen - meaning we don't
>bonk.
>

I thought I was invincible :) Thanks for the info.


>Whatever your workout routine, you'll maximize
>results with healthful eating &
>adequate rest.
>
>Good luck reaching your goals!
>Debra

Rest? I don't know what it means until lately. :) I guess I have to alternate cardio with pilates/stretch.

I did Stott Pilates essential this morning and I feel better than most mornings. I used to feel so tired in the morning after 2 months of consistent cardio in the morning.
 
RE: ok - you hit a nerve

'So tired'????? Well, I am not surprise. You'll burn out at the rate you were going.

This is the problem with men, you think you are invisible and you push yourself to the limit, defeating the whole purpose of exercising for good health and slim tone body. You want to be BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST and it doesn't look nice.

If you want to impress the opposite sex, then it's better to be naturally fit than muscular. I find body builders quite weak because they don't have cardio vascular fitness or flexibility (ever seen a body builder run a marathon or do splits?). They fall over too easily and fall ill too often. And you will too if you don't slow down.
 
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