May, 2020
Working out too much really is a thing, though it may be not be a "thing" for everyone. However, I strongly suspect it is for most older lifters but I'm willing to be wrong. I cover deloads here (and if you haven't read it, you should) but want to be more specific in identifying the signs a deload is necessary. Remember, deload is just lifter-speak for decreasing weight to give your body a break.
A quick recap: the theory is that fatigue is accumulative and over the weeks-slash-months of working out, you will need deload periods lasting anywhere from 3-7 days after which you'll be recovered-slash-restored enough to continue your normal program (it's pointless me repeating everything I've said in the above linked article; just check it out afterwards for further clarification).
No, this isn't necessary for everyone but...
I strongly suspect it is for 40+ lifters on up.
Remember, the idea is to keep lifting right up to the edge of your coffin. 😀
AGE AND RECOVERY
I simply don't recover as quickly or as effortlessly as I once did, and that's just part of the aging process. I'm also an all-on or all-off sort of a guy which means my personality type can and does struggle with balance and knowing when to quit, especially whilst doing things we enjoy. You may be the same. If I could work-out more I probably would even though I am clearly experiencing signs of over-training.
I think part of this needs to be lifting-maturity and by that I mean, not buying into juvenile mantra's such as keeping it hardcore or any other similar beliefs. I recently watched a 50yr-old moving extraordinary weight such that he began to bleed from the pores of his face (no, not all of them but enough for a clear wtf response), at which point he tells the camera-slash-audience he's hardcore.
I could understand this from a 20yr-old male.
...but a 50yr-old? Why do you need to be "hardcore" at 50, pinhead?
When I hear people in my age bracket using phrases such as hardcore and balls to the wall I suspect what they are saying is go ahead and wreck yourself for a big lift and no, I don't see the point to that. I prefer longevity. I also question why such individuals are defining themselves as being "hardcore" or why they're unable to define themselves beyond lifting full-stop.
Expand your interests, get a life.
If you're a 50+ lifter who absolutely thrives on such things -- and can in fact keep doing them day in, day out without damaging yourself -- then go right on doing your thang, kemosabe. Just know I don't give a shit. Hardcore to me is an employer who puts their employees first; an individual who goes out of their way for others; a friend who has your back. That's hardcore.
SIMPLE SIGNS OF OVER-TRAINING
For me the signs of over-training are tiredness, missing lifts, lethargy, not looking forward to the session, too much cardio and a wandering mind. Worse, even after all these years I'll regularly ignore these signs myself, so that says a lot. We males struggle to accept the inevitable and this stubbornness becomes a curse if we're not careful.
Tiredness
This is two-fold: I feel physically fatigued and I feel mentally fatigued. Another way of explaining mental fatigue is when you have a "I can't be bothered" feeling. Yes, that's mental fatigue, believe or not. If you're literally at the bar and that's what you're thinking, you have no business being there. Take a break, have a kit-kat.
Missing lifts
We all miss lifts, we all have off days. But. There's an art to knowing the difference between, say, a plateau and the fact you're going backwards (notice my use of the word fact here i.e. it should be bloody obvious to you). When we miss lifts we tend to panic and push ourselves when in fact it could be we need to relax, deload or take a break. Make a coffee.
Lethargy
This is when you're just sitting there and 10-min later you're still just sitting there. If this is increasing, you're fatigued and one way your body "explains" this to your mind is lethargy (not to be confused with things like you've just woken up and are still half-asleep or you've had a huge meal and there's a bowling ball in your stomach). Go for a walk instead.
Not looking forward to the session
We all feel like this every now and again BUT if said feeling is growing exponentially then you either need to change up what you're doing -- which usually means stripping your work-out down, not the other way round -- or giving yourself more time off to enjoy other things that are important to you. Don't make this your life.
Too much cardio
I do a lot of cardio due to my heart condition/doctor's orders which impacts lifting capability (a small price to pay for staying alive!). If you do a lot of cardio and/or other exercises on top of work-outs, this will impact upon your lifting capability too. It's all about balance. Cardio can interfer with muscle recovery. It's a trade-off you need to weigh and consider.
A wandering mind
Another way our body communicates tiredness and/or just being "over it" is by throwing a stone into the pool of one's mind. This creates ripples, discordant thinking, a wandering mind. Not only are you just sitting on your bench wanting to be anywhere but there, but you're mind is all over the place. Listen to the result, not just the thinking processes (or lack of) that cause the result. Maybe your body is trying to communicate something.
You'll notice I didn't include stress above and the reason for this is simple: exercise is a means to destress at least it is for me. Nor did I include poor sleeping patterns as we all know this impacts recovery -- and can lead to a lower immune system then short term illness -- and isn't a result of over-training. Getting roundabout 7-hours sleep a night (you need less as you age) is just common sense.
WHAT ABOUT EXERCISE, SLEEP AND INSOMNIA?
However, I have read articles stating over-training leads to insomnia, but am not entirely convinced as many of these "articles" quote one another as opposed to listing 5-10 long term studies by reputable sources. I'm not going to give a big in-depth breakdown on the subject as there is an internet out there folks but for what it's worth, here's a short explanation:
STRENUOUS EXERCISES PLACES STRESS ON THE BODY. ONE OF ITS MANY RESPONSES TO THIS IS RELEASING ADRENALINE OR CORTISOL WHICH INCREASE HEART RATE AND BLOOD FLOW SO MORE OXYGEN IS AVAILABLE TO YOUR MUSCLES. SOME PEOPLE SOMEWHERE WORRY THESE ELEVATED LEVELS CAUSED BY THESE TYPES OF HORMONES INTERUPT SLEEP PATTERNS. THE END
I would not spend the rest of my life ringing my hands over this doing copious research till Jesus comes back in the quest for the Definitive Answer. Plenty of people work-out at night (thus ramping up the likes of adrenaline and cortisol) and guess what? They sleep like babies. I've switched to working out after dinners and guess what? Sleep like a baby too. Go figure.
:: CONCLUSION
I think the key thing to take away from the above -- apart from listening to your body and how you feel -- is learning to be kind to yourself. People just aren't kind to themselves. Instead, they are judgemental and harsh on themselves. It's bizarre. Their inner dialogue must be dreadful. If you're one of these people, stop it. Fucking stop it. Allow yourself rest, time-out and a break from the iron.
When I realize I'm over-trained or I've pushed myself too hard for too long or worse, haven't given myself time to slow-down, chill out and recover then I slow-down. I chill out. I give myself permission to recover. It's that easy. You don't have to feel guilty or feel like you're not being "hardcore"; there is no guilt in kindness. It exonerates itself. Deload. Listen to music. Nap.
Leave "hardcore" for the kids and pinheads.
Some times I'll drop all weights for a week and just stick with hitting the cross-trainer 3-4 times, getting a good stretch out session afterwards. You're not going to lose any strength or drop any gains. That's young-man thinking. Some times I'll just stick with walking the pooch each afternoon and listening to a fav album that night with a vodka. I'll be kind to myself. Be kind to yourself.
Kia ora whanau.
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