Word smarter, not harder.
Heed my four tips to speed up recovery.
As you progress in your training, your deadliest and most subtle enemy is overtraining. Muscular gains come only from a lot of hard work, and therefore we conclude that the harder we work, the greater our growth. This "more is better" logic will surely lead us to a discouraging dead end. In your eagerness to build muscle, you may exceed training limitations and tear down more muscle tissue than the body is able to repair.
The symptoms of overtraining are chronic fatigue, insomnia, loss of appetite, proneness to injury and illess, and the inability to achieve a pump. You may think you have the flu, since your muscles ache. Your body weight and strength will drop and you'll have a nagging loss of interest in your training. Here are four tips that will speed up your recovery from overtraining.
Although taking a step back from training can be tough, it's vital to keep your attitude up. Bodybuilding parallels all of life itself. Each one of us faces these periods of struggle and stagnation, and it's from them that we learn and grow.
TRAINING REBOOT
1) Reduce the number of days you work out per week or the number of sets and reps performed.
2) If your slump stems from a lack of desire, get creative. Performing a tri-set -- such as wide grip bench press -> light barbell pullover -> barbell row will shorten your workout time and, I find, is a great way rto stray from the norm while retaining training integrity.
3) Ensure that you are eating a small, easily digestible meal 30-60 minutes before you train. Similarly, you need to eat a hearty meal, high in protein and carbs, within 60-90 minutes of completing your workout. This is necessary to provide your body with the nutrients and fuel to repair depleted tissue and begin the process of building new muscle.
4) This may be difficult for some, but consider taking a hiatus from training entirely, giving the body a chance to recuperate and your mind the needed time away from the gym. You'll come back after a few days mentally and physically refreshed and with renewed enthusiasm.
Dave Draper all time favorite workout:
Enjoy Your Lifting!
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