Bodybuilding and Athletic Overtraining Problems

Bodybuilders back and shoulders Overtraining is generally regarded as one of the biggest and most common problems bodybuilders and athletes face. Overtraining can affect anyone that performs a lot of intensive exercise on a regular basis. It is not restricted to bodybuilders by any means, as it can affect runners, martial artists, gymnasts, footballers etc. Essentially any activity that works the muscles can lead to overtraining if not done correctly.

What is Overtraining?

Overtraining is simply when muscles are being repeatedly worked without adequate recovery. After intensive exercise, especially weight training, the muscles need time to recover, and also they require nutrients to aid recovery. Even if a bodybuilder rests well between each session, if the muscles are not receiving enough protein to aid recovery, or enough glycogen to fuel them during the next workout, then overtraining problems start. Overtraining can also occur in one session of the workout is too intense for the person to handle, and it can then take a long time for full recovery.

When lifting weights, or performing any weight bearing anaerobic exercise, muscle tissue is damaged, with tiny tears appearing all over the muscles. This is why we ache. If this does not repair properly before the next intensive workout, more damage is done. The idea of bodybuilding is to build bigger and stronger muscles, but if the muscles are not given time and nutrients to recover, then muscle tissue can actually start to deteriorate. Also, the sufferer will feel weaker, and find it harder to complete the usual workout. Some people think that they are better of battling on, and perform more reps, more sessions, and work harder. All the time, slowly making themselves weaker!

How to Avoid Overtraining

The best way to avoid overtraining is to ensure that the follow rules are followed:

Follow a bodybuilding training routine – split routines to prevent overtraining in one session
Learn how to fuel your muscles. Eat enough carbohydrate to build up glycogen reserves, and enough protein to repair damaged muscle tissue, and also plenty of vitamins and minerals also.
Ensure that you rest well between each session. The more intense a training session is, the longer the rest needs to be.
Ensure that you get 8 hours sleep. The body recovers best when sleeping, and lack of sleep alone can lead to overtraining.

It is especially important to take care when working on your back, as overtraining could lead to long term back problems. Beginners weight training advice often fails to highlight the importance of not overtraining.

However, saying all this, some people do actually think that overtraining can be beneficial in small doses, but only when additional rest is guaranteed. An example of this would be to deliberately over-train just before a holiday, as while on holiday you will no doubt get enough rest and nutrients to recover well.

The Importance of Rest for Muscle Recovery

Newcomers to bodybuilding assume that when they are in the gym lifting weights, they are building muscle. They are wrong. Lifting weights merely stimulates the muscles into growing. The muscles only grow when resting, and mostly when asleep. Without adequate rest, muscles will not be able to repair the damage done during training and grow. Bodybuilders and athletes should always aim to get 8 hours sleep each night. Some may even take afternoon sleeps to ensure that recovery is maximized.

The Importance of Nutrition for Muscle Recovery

Another mistake many people make is thinking that to build muscles, all you need is more protein. However, our muscles only use protein to repair and rebuild muscle tissue. To actually work, they use glycogen, which is converted from carbohydrates. So athletes and bodybuilders need to ensure that they have a balanced diet. Raw salad, pulses, vegetables and fruits are all essential, as well as lean meats, fish, chicken and eggs. The purpose of most bodybuilding supplements is to ensure that you have enough carbs and protein in your diet. However, if you are not working hard enough, the supplement could be giving you too much carbs, which can make losing fat more difficult.

Bodybuilding Information Websites

There is a lot of advice on Bodybuilding for beginners available on the Internet, however when starting a beginner weight training / bodybuilding regime, advice often fails to highlight the dangers of overtraining. Always remember that a weight training workout that is shared on a forum may work well for someone that has been working out for several years, and knows how to fuel their muscles, and also gets plenty of rest. However, many people have overtrained after following workout advice without learning about rest, recovery and nutrition. Stay safe, stay healthy, and grow!