When choosing a workout plan, one topic that is often overlooked is ensuring that you have enough rest for your body to recover after a hard workout. Many of the workouts you see today are centered around the “no days off mentality” where you work hard doing high-intensity endurance-based training for an hour or more 7 days a week. Coupled with a low-calorie diet can very quickly lead to overtraining.
What Exactly Does Overtraining Mean?
Overtraining occurs when your body doesn’t have the proper time to recover fully in between workouts. This makes it harder to achieve consistent results and inevitably making it harder to stick with the program long term. Even if you have seen results before. If you’re not seeing results anymore there is a reason for that.
Here are a few signs you may be overtraining:
- Lack of enthusiasm
- Poor performance throughout your workouts
- Chronic fatigue (you leave the gym feeling “drained”)
- Trouble sleeping
- Weakened immune system
If you can relate to any of the above, you may be overtraining. The first thing you can do to help prevent overtraining is to take a day of rest centered around healing the body.
Take Time to Recover
Practice mobility, walk frequently, get a massage, take an ice bath, etc. Anything that can soothe overworked muscles and reduce inflammation in the joints. It’s good practice to have a minimum of two days a week dedicated to recovering the body.
Eat the right amount of whole food nutrition for your body type to help build muscle, maintain it, and keep you going day in and day out. Refueling with the right amount of carbs and protein to replenish glycogen and to aid in muscle repair is key.
Rest Between Sets
Even between sets, you need some time to rest so your body can rebuild ATP (adenosine triphosphate). The ATP will allow you to continue to hit each and every set with the same intensity and energy as the first. Depending on your goals, which phase of training you’re in, and your activity level, rest between sets can range anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes.
- Stabilization and strength endurance: 30-60 seconds
- Hypertrophy: 45 seconds
- Max strength and power: 3-5 minutes
Studies have shown an absence of exercise longer than 12 days can reduce the adaptations from training and decrease neuromuscular activity. But that’s 12 days! It’s okay to take 3-4 days to do something nice for yourself. Your body will thank you for it.
