Sunday, 5 July 2009

Bodybuilding Tips, Reasons to Avoid Overtraining

By Ricardo d Argence

Are you trying to get yourself into good shape? If so, there is a good chance that you are spending hours at the gym working with your intense weightlifting. When you want to get good results, there are some important things to keep in mid.

However, there is one caution you're going to have to take note of. That is, you've got to avoid overtraining. Overtraining occurs when you work too hard, so you're not giving your body the rest and recuperation it needs between weightlifting sessions so that you can repair and beheld the muscle you're breaking down.

To really understand the risks that go with overtraining, you should first understand how your body builds muscle. Remember that when you are going to the gym, you are not exactly creating muscle; you are creating tiny wounds and tears in your muscle that your body needs to repair and bulk up.

When the rips in your muscles heal, remember that they are going to get more tissue coming and filling in the tears, and this tissue will be tougher and stronger than the tissue used to be. This is the process that actually lets you build muscle.

Remember that if you are overtraining your muscle is just going to begin breaking down. There is no time for it to try to repair itself and the muscles that you want are actually being prevented from building.

What are the symptoms of overtraining and what can you do to make sure that you are going to be on the right track?

First of all, when you are overtraining, you will be working really hard, but you won't be building much if any muscle. That's the first thing you'll probably notice. If you keep going with overtraining, though, you're probably going to notice other symptoms, too.

First remember that when you are working out too much that your testosterone levels will go down. The more you overtrain, the more your testosterone drops.

You might also notice that you are going to put on more fat. This might seem somehow unfair, but it is true. As you work out, you will be breaking down muscle, not letting it heal and increasing the levels of cortisol in your body. Cortisol is a stress hormone that makes your body hang on to its fat.

Have you ever noticed that when you overtrain your body is going to get sick more and more easily? The issue with overtraining is that your immune system takes a severe beating and if you notice that you are much more susceptible to colds and flu, you should take a moment and slow down.

Have you started losing muscle mass? This sign should give you some real concern because when you overtrain, you are going to lose muscle rather than gaining it. If this is something that is happening even when you notice that you are training correctly, it is time to reassess what is going on.

Now that we have identified the problem, let's look at the solution. First, remember that you are going to need rest and nutrition. When you do one day of weigh training, follow it up with a day of rest.

It's a good idea to do some light cardio on your "rest" days, but the big point here is that you should be resting your muscles from heavy-duty lifting. They need time to recover and to repair.

Also remember that the food that you eat is going to be essential as well. Your body cannot build itself up without good materials, so make sure that you get lots of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins into your diet. This can really make all the difference when you want to look good and feel good.

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