Quote:
Originally Posted by Baraka_Guru
The risk is you could end up overtraining. Overtraining is a result of ongoing stress based on inadequate recovery. It affects everything from muscle fibers, to stress levels, to your immune system. One of the easiest ways to catch a cold or flu is to overtrain. Let me tell you, there's nothing that can put your program off course faster than getting sick. The benefit to letting your muscles recover over longer periods of time is that you ensure the new fibers have grown to where they need to grow and are ready to be put to work. In my own regular routine (which I've just started up again after a long hiatus), I work each major muscle group as a focus only once per week. I do heavy enough workouts that I'm happy to give them that amount of rest. I've also read an article that suggests 6 to 7 days is what your fibers need for optimal recovery. Taking shortcuts might grow more fibers, but you do so at the risk of overtraining. This is something I'd leave to the professionals.
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Really great stuff, all of it. Thanks very much.
In regards to overtraining... Is there a way to tell if I am? I don't enjoy lifting more than less because it creates more fibers, or makes me stronger faster; I just enjoy going to the gym and and have been dedicated and disciplined enough to go every day for a year or more. That being said, I definitely do want to get stronger, and I am noticing improvement, even in the short time since I've made the transition from running/cycling to lifting.
Thus, it's an adjustment for me to not work a given muscle group if I'm able to without lessening the weight load. Even if lifting on less rest than more was a "waste" I'd still likely do it, but if it can be detrimental, then I obviously I'll have to consider some changes.
I will try adding more weight and lowering the reps, but I am curious if there is a clear indicator of what my muscle recovery time is? Are there things I can do or look out for to see if muscle recovery is longer or shorter?
Furthermore, can muscle recovery duration be changed/altered or is it a static figure influenced heavily by genetics?
Thanks for the good information. I appreciate it.