Quick Muscle Building Workouts

Quick Muscle Building Workouts – Your Secret to Fast Muscle Building Techniques

In the rapid-paced world today, everyone aspires to achieve results rapidly in whatever they do. Whether it is about losing weight or gaining it, losing fat or building muscle, fast and quick results are often expected. But the fact remains, there is no shortcut to success and hard work is the key. Quick muscle building remains the most desired wish amongst the youth today and they are always in a lookout for such quick muscle building workouts.

There are some points to be remembered for effective and quick muscle building. For building muscle, low reps should be used. This gives more stress to your muscles and they tend to grow faster. The focus should be on compound lifts for effective muscle building. Compound lifts mean those exercises which require various individual muscles to complete the lift. Squats, bench press, overhead presses are few notable compound exercises. Contrary to common beliefs, free weights are better than machines to make your muscles work more. Going to gym should be treated like going to a war. 100% intensity is required to do a good workout. The frequency to train should be set right as it is the key to achieve the effectiveness of these quick muscle building workouts.

Today, patience is meant only for mutual funds, not muscles. We want our bodies to look good right away. So here, we shall discuss a few types of quick muscle building workouts.

Pumping the chest

This is one of the commonest muscle building workouts and does not require any iron, but just pushups. Do as many pushups in 1 minute as possible. Without a break, move into a modified pushup position and perform pushups as many as possible in 1 minute. Repeating such a superset at least twice makes a good workout.

Pumping the arm

Work the triceps and biceps equally hard and rest 4-5 minutes between these exercises.

Overextension Kickback

Holding a light dumbbell in the right hand and with left knee and hand placed on a bench, you need to bend forward at hips to make the torso parallel to the floor. Lift the dumbbell up and back. The palm needs to be rotated up slowly toward the ceiling as the weight clears the butt. After a short pause, return to the starting position. Three sets of eight repetitions with each arm should be done. It is a very effective way of quick muscle building.

Bench Dip

The hands should be placed behind on the edge of a bench and the feet on a second bench placed in front of you. Someone should place a few weight plates on your lap carefully so that they do not fall. The body should then be lowered until the upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. After a short pause, return to the starting position. Gradually with fatigue setting in, get the weight plates removed one at a time, until you are unable to do any more with only your body weight. Then, taking a position as if sitting in an invisible chair, lower your body and complete as many repetitions as possible. Probably the hardest of all, but bench dip is the most important part in the list of quick muscle building workouts.

Modified Bicycle Kick

You need to lie on the floor with hands behind your head, right leg straight but off the floor. Bend the left leg to pull your knee to the chest. Lifting the shoulder blades off the floor, touch the right elbow to the left knee while taking a count of two. Pause, return to the starting position and repeat the move on the other side. A minimum of 15 repetitions should be done on each side followed by 30 conventional crunches to achieve results in muscle building.

Roll up

Lie straight on the floor with arms at your sides. With heels pushed into the ground, shoulders and back should slowly be lifted off the floor until the body is perpendicular to the floor. Come back to the starting position to a count of five and perform 10 repetitions.

A sincere approach and right intensity are absolutely vital to get benefits from these quick muscle building workouts.

Muscle Building Diet

Muscle Building Diet For Building Muscle Fast

What you eat is as important as you train yourself for any activity especially building muscles, stripping fat, and losing weight. Muscle building diets differs from the ordinary diet. Body builders work hard in the gym and strict muscle building diet with adequate nutrients is required to grow body muscles.

There are different muscle-building diet plans, so planning the correct one is very important if you want to increase your lean body mass without gaining too much unwanted fat. Generally people say it is important to have 3 proper nutritious meals per day. But 5-7 meals per day with right amount of nutrients at interval of 2-3 hours are more beneficial in muscle building. Some of the important muscle building diet rules are:-
Cycle your calories:-
This is one of the most important rules and works very well. You should consume more calories on the day you work out more and the vice versa. It will help you to stay leaner as you go for muscle building process. Eat your breakfast properly to get the calories from the first hours.
Get plenty of lean protein sources:-
Always make sure to get enough lean protein sources with each meal. This will help you in muscle density development. Proteins are the second source of energy after carbohydrates, so consuming them gives you enough energy to work out. Egg whites, Lean red meat, Chicken breast, Fish, and Seafood are excellent sources of protein.
Eat on healthy fats:-
Healthy fat is must for muscle diet plan. Healthy fat is extremely calorie dense at 9 calories/gram compared to 4 calories/gram proteins and carbohydrates. So it easily meets your calorie requirements. Fats slow the digestion and preventing the nutrients to get directly to the muscle tissues. So you should try to avoid fats before and after the work outs but do add healthy fat to your each meal.
Meal Timings:-
Make sure to have proper meal and nutrient timings. Try to focus on taking protein and carbohydrate rich diet before and after the work outs and then include proteins and healthy fats in your other meals. This will provide your body with the exact type of fuel sources, which means better results.
Be cautious on vegetables:-
It is always said that eat as many vegetables as you can. But for person who is looking for muscle building diet, you will have to be easy on consuming vegetables. As you will not be able to reach the total calorie intake for growth requirement as vegetables are rich in volumes but low in calories. You can blend vegetables in sauce and have its nutrient values. But take caution while consuming them, so they do not take the extra space in the stomach.
Eat calorie dense foods:-
It is advisable to take calorie dense food when you are thinking of muscle building diet rather than on vegetables. Adding foods like whole eggs, dried fruits, nuts, and nut butter which are calorie dense make your progress faster in muscle building. By taking even small quantities of calories dense food you reach your goal.
Always assess your progress:-
You should check your progress regularly. If you haven’t built the muscles even after doing proper work out as you had hoped, it means you are not consuming enough calories. So increase your calorie intake by 200-300 and then see the effect. If you assess your progress regularly, you can adjust your body accordingly and have the proper results.
Do not neglect all saturated fat:-
For muscle building, it is primarily important to take unsaturated fat, but having some saturated fat helps you to keep testosterone levels high. Testosterone is the key hormone involved in process of building muscles. So don’t neglect it completely- 15 % of fat can easily come from saturated fats while planning for muscle building diet.
Keep hydrated:-
Hydration is one of the important key factors in muscle building diet. It helps you to recover yourself from workout sessions and after that you have the energy to carry out your daily activities. It is advised to have at least 10-12 glasses of water; juice, milk for extra calories.

Though many people argue on the basic amount of fats, proteins are carbohydrates but generally following guide is helpful in muscle building diet plan:-
Fats: – 0.25 grams/pound of body weight.
Proteins: – 1-1.6 grams/pound of body weight.
Carbohydrates: – 2.5 grams/pound of body weight.

So above mentioned are some muscle building diet tips which, if taken care of, helps you in fast muscle building process.

Muscle Building Workout

Muscle Building Workout – Important Tips To Build Muscle Quickly

One of the biggest mistake that some of the people make while muscle building workouts is by copying routines of the guys from muscle magazines.

Most of the guys shown in magazines with good muscles are not trained naturally but they have genetically gifted bodies. So following their routines will not make you build muscles fast.The average person needs entirely different approach for muscle building work out– one which builds muscle fast and prevents physical & mental exhaustion.

Few tips which help you in muscle building are:-

Muscle building work out plan: – Before joining any gym make out a proper plan; visualize the work out in your mind through the exercises and weights you are going to use. Moreover, be sure to load your iPod with good training songs which will boost you for work out.

Work out 3-4 days per week:- If you do some other physical exercise along with muscle building workouts, then 3 days work out is good enough; otherwise work out for 4 days a week.

Plan your workout: – Whichever option you choose, but always limit your main strength training portion workout to 45 minutes and 15 minutes for warm up.

Stick with muscle building work out plan: – Rather than changing work outs from week to week, for best results stick to muscle building work out for minimum of 12 weeks. Then gradually decrease your work out and move to other plan.

Start with warm up exercises: – Always start the work out with warm up exercises to lubricate the joints and activate the muscles. People make a biggest mistake of skimping warm ups- never do that. Do a good number of warm up sets along with repetitions.

Adjust as per your body: – If you are a beginner, you should use “straight weights” or “set-across” which means that you pick up the weight and repeat the sets that you are comfortable in doing like 3*10, 4*8 etc.For advance lifter usually “working up” is better which means that you do bunch of warm up sets and “work up sets”, until you are able to do 1-2 heavy sets or may be some back off sets.

Work on Compound Exercises: – Isolation exercises are fine once you have built base strength & muscle mass. But once you are starting to build muscle, exercises which hit several muscles at the same time are better for good results.

Full body workouts: – Try to work on complete body rather than on isolated parts to achieve the complete muscle building body. Even training of legs is essential. Squats work your whole body; it is the most important exercise.

Acquire Recovery: – Don’t overstrain yourself. If you are beginner, start slowly and then add more exercises to your muscle building workouts. Focus on intensity rather than on time in gym. For the growth of muscles rest is important, so have proper eight hours sleep. You can have nap after your workout if your lifestyle permits.

Nutritious high calories diet along with hydration is one of the key factors in muscle building.So, you have noticed that there are some basic points for muscle building work out, rest depends upon you which body part muscles you want the more and you can opt for it accordingly. There are many muscle building work outs like weights, lifts, squats….which can help to attain your goal.

Protein Powder, The Skinny Guy’s Guide To Protein Powder

So what do you really need to know about protein powder? As a skinny guy or beginner to the whole bodybuilding scene you simply want to know a few answers. Is protein powder necessary? Does it really work? How much do I need? What kind should I take? What is the best? And finally, will any of these answers make a difference when it comes to getting jacked and attracting the ladies?

This article is not meant for you if you want to learn the science behind the ion-exchanged, cross-mutaed, isotopically labeled protein tracers – blah blah blah. In this article, I will strip away all the hype, science, and confusion that surrounds protein powder. By the time you are through this article and put it to memory, you will become the resident protein powder expert and amaze your friends the next time you visit the sport nutrition store. No more 2-hour shopping trips for protein powder because you don’t really have a clue what to look for!

Is Protein Powder really necessary?

So, although protein supplements are not an absolute requirement for gaining mass, I have yet to meet any person able to get 400 grams of protein per day from cooking food. If your protein intake is greater than 200 grams per day I will suggest a protein powder – it will make your life a lot easier.

In addition, dollar for dollar, protein powders and meal replacement drinks tend to be more cost effective than whole food. Don’t get me wrong, though. Protein powders are still supplements in my book. Supplement means an addition to the diet. I emphasize this because the focus of any diet should be food. Whole food is often preferable to powders because it can offer a whole spectrum of nutrients that powders cannot.

Most of your dietary protein should come from meat, fish, poultry and eggs. However getting all your protein from whole food is not always practical or convenient, especially if you have to eat 6 or more times a day to get your required intake. I will stress to you, for optimal muscle gains, you should limit yourself to a maximum of three shakes per day or 40 % of your meals. To some this might even sound like it’s going ‘overboard’ and I would not disagree.

The bottom line is that both food and supplements are necessary to achieve a complete nutritional balance as well as the desired level of protein intake, especially if you’re not a big fan of cooking. And I assume that over 95% of you reading this do not have a personal maid at home cooking all your meals while you sit around waiting for your next meal. Do not make the fatal mistake of thinking protein powders can take the place of a solid training and nutrition program.

Does protein powder really work and are they healthy?

I get this question emailed to me almost every day. I just showed how it ‘works’ as a supplement to help you hit your supplemental protein mark but you are probably still wondering, ‘Yeah, but is protein powder going to help me get muscular or is it a scam?” A better question would be, “Does protein really work?” and the obvious answer is ‘yes.’ You are fully aware that protein is composed of building blocks called amino acids, which performs a variety of functions in the body such as building and maintaining healthy muscles when combined with diet and exercise. Protein also:

• Supports red blood cell production
• Boosts your immune system
• Keeps your hair, fingernails, and skin healthy

However, not all protein powder is created equal. Most protein powder contains an array of questionable ingredients such as aspartame, saccharin, fructose and artificial colors. It’s interesting to note how unhealthy most of these protein powders actually are. Look for a protein powder with natural ingredients rather than products that are sweetened with chemicals and made with ingredients that are certainly not going to create an environment for muscle growth and fat burning.

Also avoid products with refined carbohydrates such as fructose, sucrose or brown rice syrup. Make sure that the product is made from a reputable company that is genuinely interested in good health. Unfortunately supplement manufacturers will continue to meet the demands of bodybuilding consumers with unknown crappy products because we buy it and it is cheaper for them to create. Do your homework by seeking out unbiased reviews, investigating the company’s history, and reputation. And then make a decision and take responsibility!

In the past one of my criteria for a healthy protein product was that it was great tasting and that it should mix easily. Most protein powders mix quite easily, even with a spoon, however I was disappointed to discover that taste will inevitably be sacrificed for a safe and healthy product. I can live with this. You see, once a product is removed of all artificial chemical sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose, and simple sugars, it is left almost tasteless and sometimes even gross.

How much protein powder do I need?

A better question would be, “How much pure protein do I need to achieve my goals?”

Protein is an extremely important macro nutrient and should be eaten frequently throughout the day. I recommend at least 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. This means that if you are 150 pounds and 10% body fat (150 x 0.10 = 15 lbs of fat leaving 135 lbs of lean mass), you will require at least 135 to approximately 205 grams of protein per day.

I recommend that protein powder be used primarily for your pre-workout, workout and post-workout shake. This is when liquid food is more advantageous over whole food since it has a faster absorption rate.

I do not recommend protein powder do be used for meal replacements for more than two meals. Here is what a typical day might look like:

Meal 1 (breakfast) – whole food

Meal 2 (mid morning) – liquid protein meal

Meal 3 (lunch) – whole food

Meal 4 (mid afternoon) whole food

Meal 5 (pre and post workout) liquid protein meal

Meal 6 (dinner) whole food

Meal 7 (before bed) whole food

What kind of protein powder should I use?

Before deciding which protein powder is necessary, here is a short protein primer to help you make sense of the thousands of different protein powders from which to choose:

WHEY PROTEIN makes up 20% of total milk protein. Whey is recognized for its excellent amino acid profile, high cysteine content, rapid digestion, and interesting variety of peptides. Since it is very quickly digested the best time to consume it is before your workout, during your workout or immediately after your workout. These would be considered the phase in the day where you need energy the most and when your body is in anabolic state.

CASEIN PROTEIN makes up 80% of total milk protein. Casein is recognized for its excellent amino acid profile, slow digestive nature, and interesting variety of peptides. Since casein is slowly digested into your bloodstream, don’t use it during workouts or after workouts – you need a fast absorbing protein at these times. Instead, use a casein protein for all other times outside the pre and post workout window.

SOY PROTEIN is the most controversial of all protein types. While the soy groupies have gone to great lengths to label soy as a super food with magical effects, there is also a good amount of research that suggests soy protein may be contraindicated in many situations. BECAUSE OF ALL THE CONFUSION, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, I SUGGEST AVOIDING SOY PROTEIN ALTOGETHER AND STICKING TO THE OTHER TYPES LISTED.

Protein Blends are generally a combination of several types of protein blends such as whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, egg protein, casein protein, and soy protein.

Why would you want a blend anyway? You will receive the full spectrum of proteins and you will receive varying rates of absorption from the different types of protein. Using a blend will create an anabolic environment from the whey and an anti-catabolic environment from the casein – use this kind at any time of the day but NOT before or after a workout.

Whey hydrolysates (also known as hydrolyzed whey protein, and are also called peptides), are powerful proteins that are more quickly absorbed; more so than any other form, since your body prefers peptides to whole proteins. Hydrolysates are produced through very low heat, low acid and mild enzymatic filtration processes, (those highest in the essential and the branched chain amino acids) and are potentially the most anabolic for short-term protein synthesis such as the pre and post-workout window.

Most whey protein powders that stock the supplement shelves are made up of whey concentrate and mixed in with a small portion of whey isolate. Comparing the two, whey protein isolate is more expensive than whey protein concentrate because it has a higher quality (more pure) and a higher BV (biological value). Whey protein isolate contains more protein and less fat and lactose per serving. Most whey protein isolates contain 90-98% protein while whey concentrates contain 70-85% protein.

Whey protein isolate is the highest yield of protein currently available that comes from milk. Because of its chemical properties it is the easiest to absorb into your system. Obviously with its high concentration, it appears that an isolate protein would be the obvious choice instead of a concentrate. However, this is an individual decision because the isolate is more expensive, and just because it is purer does not guarantee that it will help build bigger muscles. Its extra concentration may not justify its extra cost.

For the Pre-workout and Post-workout phases, as long as whey hydrolysate is the first or second ingredient on the supplement label then there is probably not enough in the product to influence protein synthesis to reap the optimal benefits. As stated, whey isolates are also a extremely high quality whey and for maximal anabolism isolates should be combined with whey hydrolysates for only the pre-workout and post-workout phases of your program. The inclusion of small amounts of whey concentrates will not harm you but this should not be the first ingredient on the tub of protein powder.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE STRONGEST PROTEIN POWDER TO EXPLOIT YOUR FULL GROWTH POTENTIAL DURING THE GROWTH AND RECOVERY PHASES (ANY TIME OTHER THAN PRE AND POST WORKOUT PERIOD) THEN USE A BLEND.

You will receive the full spectrum of proteins and you will receive varying rates of absorption from the different types of protein. Using a blend will create an anabolic environment from the whey and an anti-catabolic environment from the casein.

Conclusion

I hope this article familiarized you with the basics of protein powder and gave you a foundation to work from when deciding on your next order. Don’t get caught up in the hype and start becoming a more educated consumer when you take your next trip to the nutrition store. Now you can tell the sales rep exactly what you are looking for instead of staring blankly at the shelves without a clue!

Oh yeah, protein powder will help you get more jacked and attract the ladies, but it’s not going to do it in a ‘ultra short period of time’ with the simple addition to your diet.

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About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com

He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.

Learning The Muscle Fiber Types

Choosing the best type of workout program that will stimulate the muscle fiber type that will get you the results you’re looking for is extremely important.

Unfortunately, all body building programs are not created equally when speaking in terms of muscle fiber types.

While you can’t differentiate between muscle fibers from your outside appearance, on the inside of the muscle tissue body, there are three main different fibers present.

Type A Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers

The first type of muscle fibers are known as Type A Fast Twitch and are responsible for the most forceful contractions generated, however, will fatigue the fastest.

For example, if you were to perform an all out set of 3 reps for bench press, you would predominately be using these type A muscle fibers.

They tend to have very large motor neurons and very low mitochondrial density. They also have a low oxidative capacity, meaning they will not be able to utilize oxygen very well. It is for this reason that they are not suited to endurance type of activities, because during these exercise variations, oxygen must be present in order to sustain the muscular contractions.

The major type of fuel that these muscle fibers are going to rely on is creatine phosphate and stored muscle glycogen (glucose). They will not utilize stored body fat at all due to the fact that they are only able to continually contract for between one and about 20 seconds.

Type B Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers

The next muscle fiber is also classified as a fast twitch muscle fiber but not to the extent that type A are.

This muscle fiber type is mostly utilized in activities that are relatively short in duration, but are not at an all out pace.

For example, if you were to sprint 100 meters, you’ll be using mostly type A. If on the other hand, you are to do a running interval at about 80-90% of your max capacity for 30 seconds, this would utilize the type 2A more.

Some of the characteristics of the type B muscle fibers are that they still have a large motor neuron (not as large as Type A though), they are on the intermediate scale as far as being resistant to fatigue, and they have a high degree of mitochondrial density.

These muscle fiber types are also able to use oxygen to a great extent, as demonstrated by their higher resistance to fatigue and longer duration of contraction abilities.

Slow Twitch

Finally, the third type of muscle fiber that you have in your body is classified as slow-twitch.

This is the muscle fiber type you would use if you were to run a marathon or any other extended duration, medium-to-low intensity activity.

These muscle fibers have a very high ability to resist fatigue and have a large oxidative capacity.

They are also relatively slow to contract, therefore you cannot expect a great deal of force generation from these muscles, and thus, will not be intended for exercises requiring a high degree of power.

They are very high in terms of mitochondrial density and have a large number of capillaries running throughout their bodies. This is to enable sufficient oxygen to get to the muscle tissues so that they can carry on the extended duration of muscular work they are intended to do.

These are also the muscle fibers that will also rely more on fat as fuel, as opposed to strictly using carbohydrates or creatine phosphate.

Training The Muscle Fiber Types

So, now that you’re familiar with the three major classes of muscle fiber types, it’s time to recognize how you would train each effectively.

Since type A are your primary force generators, if you wish to get a higher performance from them you’ll need to train using exercises that require you to max out your effort for a short period of time.

Think sprinting at full speed, 1-5 rep sets for lifting, and any type of plyometric activities.

Next, to train your type B muscles fibers you’ll want to slightly decrease the force with which you are to contract while simultaneously increasing the time over which you contract ever so slightly.

For example, perform 30-45 intervals repeated ten times with about a minute or a minute and a half at a low to moderate pace. For your weight training activities, aim to target the 6-10 rep range to utilize the fact these muscle fibers have a higher oxidation ability.

Finally, to improve your slow twitch muscle fibers, think endurance. This type of fiber will usually require the greatest amount of time to train for improvement because you’ll want to focus on simply going ‘longer’.

If you’re a runner, try and run longer. If you’re a biker, bike longer. If you’re a swimmer, swim longer – you get the point.

This type of muscle has the ability to go for extended periods of time so this is exactly what you want to train it to do.

So, next time you are trying to sort out your training plan make sure to take the various muscle fiber types into consideration.

Doing so will allow you to make the most out of your training program so you get the exact results you’re looking for.

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About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com

He specializes in helping you understand all the principles behind muscle fibers and gaining muscle and weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.

How to Avoid Over-training to Maximize Muscle Growth

Almost anyone that’s picked up a set of weights has or will experience symptoms of over-training at one point in there muscle building program. Over-training can lead to serious injury, chronic fatigue, and even muscle loss.

Over-training is very common amongst athletes and particularly bodybuilders, since they figure that training as much as possible is the fastest way to massive muscle gains.

This couldn’t be any further from the truth however…

Training too much, or at too high of an intensity will lead to over-training.

Now this doesn’t mean you don’t have to put plenty of effort in to see some decent results… Whether you are a bodybuilder, athlete, or just someone that wants to add some additional mass to your frame, you need to train hard and be consistent-that’s a given. In order to get the most out of your genetics, you have to progressively overload the muscles by increasing the weight and / or intensity of each weight training workout.

The problem is however, that many of us increase the intensity of our workouts or get insufficient amounts of rest, or even worse, a combination of both. The trick is finding the right balance between workout volume and intensity, and rest and recovery. And that is exactly what I’ll cover in this article.
The Effects of Over-Training on Bodybuilders

First, let’s take a look at some of the effects of over-training and how one can prevent over-training from happening in the first place.

The Effects of Over-training on the Nervous System

Over-training effects both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in the following negative ways:

If you are experiencing more than one of the symptoms outlined above, you may be in a state of over-training, and should evaluate your routine as soon as possible.

The Effects of Over-training on Hormone Levels

Many studies have indicated that over-training negatively effects the levels of hormones, as well as the hormone response in the body.  Since hormones play such an important role in the muscle building process, this can have a detrimental effect on your training progress.

Over-training has been show to:

The Effects of Over-training on the Immune System

perhaps one of the most alarming repercussions of over-training is it’s negative impact on the immune system-you’re bodies first defense against harmful viruses and bacteria.

Over-training can drastically decrease the levels of antibodies and lymphocytes in your body, making you much more susceptible to illness.  Simply put, this means that if you are in a state of over-training, you are much more likely to get sick.  Since you will have to skip workouts while you are sick, your muscle building progress will slow considerably.

The Effects of Over-training on the Metabolic System

Here is a list of how over-training can  effect the metabolic system.  These symptoms are the ones that are most commonly discussed, and are ones we can’t ignore:

Is it Worse to Over-Train With Cardio or Weight Training?

Any form of over-training is a bad thing, however, I’ve personally experienced both types of over-training and can honestly say that over-training in the weight room is much worse, and much more prevalent than over-training through cardiovascular training.

Here are some of the reasons why:

How do I Determine if I’m Over-training?

Determining if you’re currently over-training is fairly simple.   If you’re in tune with your body, you can often see the signs of over-training before they get serious.  If you are losing interest in workouts, are having trouble sleeping, and feel weak and irritable, you may be in a state of over-training and should take a week or more off.

If you are experiencing two or more of the symptoms outlined earlier in the article, this should raise a red flag.

Another variable you can use to determine if you are over-training is by tracking the performance of your workouts.

Has your physical performance improved compared to your last workout?

For example, let’s say last workout you were able to perform 8 pull-ups using your body-weight, but were only able to perform 6 pull-ups the following week.  This means that you have not “out done” your previous workout, have not fully recovered, and therefore are likely over-training.  You nave to re-asses your program and make modifications so that you see progress every workout.

How Can I Prevent Over-training?

n order to avoid over-training, you need to take a multi-facited approach.  Determining the correct training volume and intensity, eating the right foods, and getting the right amount of rest and recovery must all be taken in to consideration.  Now let’s take a look at each of those factors in more detail.

Correct Training Volume

Determining the correct training volume can be difficult, especially when you are first starting out.  You have to determine how much weight to lift, how many repetitions and set to perform for every single workout.

You need to use your own judgment in this case, based on your recovery ability and your recovery methods.  Remember that the goal is that you improve every single workout, and if this isn’t happening, you have to decrease the intensity of your workouts.

This is where many people go wrong though.  You begin your workout and realize that you have not fully recovered.  You can either continue to train at a lower intensity than the previous workout, or skip the workout entirely.

As hard as it may be, skipping the workout is the right way to go.  Just turn around and go home!  Your body is telling you that it needs more rest, and you must listen to it!

There is no point in training at a lower intensity, further breaking down the muscle tissue.   By doing this you will increase your risk of injury, and make it harder for your body to fully recovery for your next training session.

Proper Nutrition

Your diet plays a huge role in your muscle building program.  It helps regulate hormone levels, provides energy, and provides the raw building blocks that are used to create new tissue.

Here are some dietary recommendations that will limit the chance of over-training:

• Do not skip breakfast.  This is one of the most important meals of the day.  Skipping breakfast is very catabolic, and can promote muscle loss.
• Never let yourself get hungry.  If you’re trying to build muscle mass, you have to constantly feed your body quality foods so that it never has the chance catabolize muscle tissue.
• Unless you are trying to build muscle and lose fat, make sure you have eaten prior to your training session and are not hungry.
• Have the largest meal of the day within an hour after your workout.  Do this every single workout!
• Consider taking proven supplements like creatine, and antioxidants to increase performance and fight free radicals.
• Eat every 2-3 hours to ensure that your body remains in an anabolic state.
• Keep glycogen levels at full capacity to inhibit muscle tissue breakdown.

Rest & Recovery

Rest and recovery is essential when it comes to avoiding over-training.  Make sure that you get at least 7 hours of sleep each night, and that you are on a consistent schedule.  As for recovery time, it’s important that you have days off between weight training workouts.  Try to have one rest day between weight training workouts, and never train the same muscle groups on consecutive days.

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About the Author:

Vince Delmonteis a competitive fitness model and personal trainer, as well as the author of No-Nonsense Muscle Building, a complete guide to building muscle for the hardgainer.

Vince’s program includes extensive diet plans, complete weight training regimens, video tutorials, and full email personal training support.