FRIED

[kite]

TweetWhat do you guys do to avoid overtraining? It seems like no matter what I do to deload I always end up burnt out after 8 or so weeks into a training cycle and my lifts (especially my bench) suffer big time. I typically train 4 days per week, day 1 is squat and dl, I work up to a 1 or 3rm on a variation of both lifts then it's abs and go home. Day 2 is a variation of the bench press one week equipped one week raw 1-5 rep max, some triceps and go home. Day 3 off. Day 4 is squat and dl assisstance day, I do some hammie work, abs, lats, traps. Day 5 is bench asst. day, I do delt work, triceps, and biceps if I feel like it. Days 6 and 7 off, or active rest/restoration work.

[Fit2bLarge]

TweetI take a week off every 8-10 weeks. Let the body recoup. I feel much stronger when I come back.

[daved150]

Tweetdamn...i aint took a break since last sept. and i workout 5 days,
tue chest, 4-5 excersizes various reps
wed back 5-6 excersizes various reps
fri legs 5-6 excersizes various reps
sat shoulders 4 excersizes var. reps
sun arms 3 bi's 3 tri's various reps
i change up my excersizes every couple weeks
tue, wed, fri 1.25-1.50 hrs workouts
sat, sun 45min to an hour.
i wonder if i overtrain?...i feel great...i just need to eat alot more!

[lxorl]

Tweeti have cut back on the amount of exercises done in a session... much quicker in the gym, and never get burnt out. I just hit it hard, what ever i am doing.

some time off here and there is also good.

[AlmostThere]

TweetI take a week or 2 off whenever my lifts stall out i always come back stronger. I have also been known to skip workouts when i dont feel up to it. Listen to your body it tells u what it wants.

[T-Man007]

TweetWell, if you get burned out after 8 weeks then I suggest you take one week off every 4 weeks. So, 4 weeks on, 1 week off. That should do it. However, I like what lxorl does with the lower volume. I recently changed back to doing a very low volume with more frequency. For instance:
Day 1
Bench superset w/ Rows 1 working set
Incline s/s w/ pull up 1 working set
Decline s/s w/ different row 1 working set
Dips s/s w/ BB curls 1 working set
Press down s/s w/ Rev curl 1 working set

Day 2
Squats 1 work set
Leg Press 1 work set
Leg Curl 1 work set
Stand & Seated calf raises 1 work set each
DB press 1 work set
Rear Delt 1 work set
Lateral raise 1 work set

Day 3 off

Day 4 (all 1 work set)
Incline DB s/s with Flat fly
Seated row s/s with Hammer low row
Decline DB s/s with Decline fly
Neutral grip pull down s/s w/ scoop rows (for lats)
Incline db curl s/s w/ decline skull crushers
One arm preacher DB curls (w/ drop sets) s/s w/ decline DB tricep extensions

Day 5 (all 1 work set)
Extensions s/s w/ leg curls
One leg set up s/s w/ stiff legs or good mornings
BB press
rear delt
lateral raise

Day 6 off

Day 7 off

The primary focus for me is to do the exercises I can use the most weight on the first two days and then excersices that are more single joint movements on the second day. There's only so many single joint movements for muscle like back and chest but by doing DB's I make each side work independantly. I've done this before and it worked great until I got carried away with the intensity and before I knew it, I was over trained.

[OldWiseGuy]

TweetI train a three day split once a week unless I feel like crap which lets me know to take some extra rest time. Mostly I pack the split into four days and rest at least three days or more after.

[jazzjackrabbit]

TweetI skip a workout when I feel to tired. That don't happen often since I've lowered the number of exercices per workout.

[kite]

TweetThanks everyone, I'll prolly go pretty much balls to the walls and take every 4rth or 5th week off and see how it goes.

[T-Man007]

Tweet

Thanks everyone, I'll prolly go pretty much balls to the walls and take every 4rth or 5th week off and see how it goes.

That should do the trick.