Working out too much?

standoug888

If i work put too much can it make me hit a platue in weight loss? Heres my work out routine 1st day ill do biceps/abs 2nd day back/legs 3rd day chest/triceps/shoulders all 3 days i do about 45-60 mins of cardio burning roughly 600 cals just in cardio 4th day i rest then i repeat the cycle i generaly do my cardio before i lift for 45-60 mins and ill lift for 30-45 mins... Is this too much for my body to handle do i need more rest? Im 22 6'0 weighing 232 please give me advice

grantdumas7

It's hard to say if it's too much. On paper it might be but how do you feel? Are your progressing? Are you getting stronger? Are you doing your cardio 30-45 min immediately before lifting or are you doing them separate times? I wouldn't lift after doing 30-45 min of cardio. Doing cardio burns glycogen which is used to fuel the body during weight training. I would do the cardio after lifting or I would separate the two by at least 4 hours.

meshashesha2012

so you work out 2 hours a day? i personally dont think that's too much since it seems like you aren't doing the same things every workout. but really listen to YOUR body.

i know few people would say 2 hours a day 6 days a week is a lot but those are generally the people who have no issue with sitting 4+ hours a day sitting on the couch

vorgas

The best thing you can do, of course, is an exercise program that you stick with and makes you happy. Your dedication is admirable.

That being said, there may be some things to do to make it more effective. The short instruction is lift first, aerobics after. And by aerobics, I mean make sure your HR doesn't go above 65%.

Explanation:

There are two primary sources of fuel for your body. In aerobic exercise your body combines fat with oxygen. In anaerobic exercise your body uses the glycogen stored in the muscles.

Weight lifting is entirely an anaerobic exercise. It requires glycogen to work.

When you do cardio first, your body is going to tap into that glycogen in the first few minutes while the fat burning process ramps up, and then slightly throughout. If your HR goes above 65% it really begins to use more and more glycogen.

So if you take up a lot of your glycogen, then go to lift, you just don't have the necessary energy to get as effective a workout, at best. At worst it can lead to form failure as you try to leverage your body to overcome the lack of fuel.

Next, as you exercise your body begins to produce cortisol. Cortisol triggers the storage of fat and the eating of muscles. Cortisol is catabolic, whereas testosterone is anabolic. By doing the weights after the cardio, you're basically not accomplishing much. It's coming out about neutral. That's why I'm suggesting to make sure your HR stays low after you lift.

If you want the health benefits of actual cardio (HR above 65%) do it on it's own day. Please note, when health professionals use the word 'cardio' they are generally referring to exercise that elevates the HR to 65% or higher. They wouldn't consider a brisk walk 'cardio'. This is different than most people who call any form of aerobic exercise (fat burning) 'cardio'.

Here's a few links for more info
http://www.builtlean.com/2011/11/07/cardio-before-or-after-weights/
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/losing-muscle-cortisol.html
http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_200/200_fitness_tip.html

Lyadeia

I tend to believe that as long as you are not undereating, then you can't be overtraining. Most people who say they are overtrained are simply not eating enough to fuel all of their workouts, and if they were, they wouldn't have the issues any longer.

So, are YOU eating at the level that you should?

SuperSexyDork

The best thing you can do, of course, is an exercise program that you stick with and makes you happy. Your dedication is admirable.

That being said, there may be some things to do to make it more effective. The short instruction is lift first, aerobics after. And by aerobics, I mean make sure your HR doesn't go above 65%.

Explanation:

There are two primary sources of fuel for your body. In aerobic exercise your body combines fat with oxygen. In anaerobic exercise your body uses the glycogen stored in the muscles.

Weight lifting is entirely an anaerobic exercise. It requires glycogen to work.

When you do cardio first, your body is going to tap into that glycogen in the first few minutes while the fat burning process ramps up, and then slightly throughout. If your HR goes above 65% it really begins to use more and more glycogen.

So if you take up a lot of your glycogen, then go to lift, you just don't have the necessary energy to get as effective a workout, at best. At worst it can lead to form failure as you try to leverage your body to overcome the lack of fuel.

Next, as you exercise your body begins to produce cortisol. Cortisol triggers the storage of fat and the eating of muscles. Cortisol is catabolic, whereas testosterone is anabolic. By doing the weights after the cardio, you're basically not accomplishing much. It's coming out about neutral. That's why I'm suggesting to make sure your HR stays low after you lift.

If you want the health benefits of actual cardio (HR above 65%) do it on it's own day. Please note, when health professionals use the word 'cardio' they are generally referring to exercise that elevates the HR to 65% or higher. They wouldn't consider a brisk walk 'cardio'. This is different than most people who call any form of aerobic exercise (fat burning) 'cardio'.

Here's a few links for more info
http://www.builtlean.com/2011/11/07/cardio-before-or-after-weights/
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/losing-muscle-cortisol.html
http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_200/200_fitness_tip.html

I like you. I wanted to post something along these lines after reading the OP but you beat me to the punch and did it so well!