How do you know when you are overtraining?

shawna24k

Cathlete
I have started to run and since, I run about 2 miles and it takes me about 20 min. I do this almost every day and if I don't run I do some other form of cardio. Like Imax 2, which is my favorite right now. I also use the GS series Mondays, Wednesday, and Friday. I have my rotation something like this:
Monday - GS back, shoulders, biceps
Run 30 min
Tuesday - Imax or 20 min interval run
Coremax
Wednesday - Run 30 min steady
GS legs
Thursday - Imax or 20 min interval run
Coremax
Friday - Run 30 min
GS chest and triceps
Saturday - off or stretchmax
Sunday - Any Cathe cardio
Coremax
Stretchmax
It is usually a 20 min or 2 mile run but I plan to up it to 30 min. My question is, do you think this is too much cardio?
 
Looks like you are getting about 3 hours of cardio a week...if I am reading your rotation correctly. If that is the case...my answer is "no"....you have nothing to worry about.

The measuring stick should be how you feel and how well you are progressing towards your goals. If you feel great and you are making progress...perfect. If you are feeling sick, tired, unmotivated, worn out, getting injured and you are on a plateau...you are doing too much.
 
Thanks. Gosh, when you put it like that I wonder if I am getting enough cardio. 3 hours a week dosn't seem like much. I think the hardest part about this whole fitness thing is figuring out what my own body needs. It is great to get all of the advice, but it all boils down to individualtiy. I think I will stick with what I am doing and just see how that goes for a while. The only other thing that I thought about doing was adding more strength workouts to my rotation. Any thoughts on that? Thanks again for the input.:D
 
I think if you added 1 total body workout or a circuit workout to your rotation, it would be a wonderful compliment. You could do ME, Muscle max, PH, HSC, HSTA, C&W or any other total body.
 
Just one more question, Where to put it. Do you think it would be too much to put it on Sunday. That would mean working shoulders, back, and biceps two days in a row. Or I could move GS shoulders back and biceps to Tuesday and put the total workout on Sunday, then no body part would be done two days in row. :+ Oh the confusion of all this!!! Thanks for your help.:D
 
Here is what I did (please use for example purposes)
Monday: GS upper body + cardio
Tuesday:GS Legs + cardio
Wednesday: other GS upper body + cardio
Thursday: Cardio only
Friday: HSC or Muscle Max
Saturday: Cardio only
Sunday: rest

I have a dear friend who did it opposite...by that, I mean she started her week with the total body, I am not sure the exact rotation but it looked something like:

Monday: HSC or Muscle Max
Tuesday: cardio only
Wednesday: GS upper body + cardio
Thursday: GS Legs + cardio
Friday: other GS upper body + cardio
Saturday: Cardio only
Sunday: rest

Add abs to your liking.
 
Hi, thanks and these are both great ideas and pretty much what I am looking for. I just wanted to ask you how long your cardio sessions are on the days you do weights and how long on the days you do just cardio. Thanks again for all your help....Shawna
 
If I am doing a steady state cardio, I'll go for 45-60 minutes. If I am doing an interval cardio workout, I'll go for 30-40 minutes. The exception is Saturday...since I am training for a marathon, my Saturday could be 90 minutes to 3 hours long and a "cardio only" day.

Please consider the fact that I am training for a marathon when tallying up the amount of time I spend on cardio. Not to mention, I LOVE cardio!:7
 

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