Need some insight with overtraining

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Mps1151989
Mps1151989 Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
As of about a month now I have been training my self to be a firefighter at home. My workouts started easy walking about 4-6 times a week about 12-14 miles for the week. Now that I'm in my 4th week of doing this I have upped the anti and am now doing minor upper body weight training and also my walks have turned into a walk/jog with 35lbs in a back pack and running the hills in my neighborhood. In the past couple days I have noticed insomnia and feeling exhausted, and my legs are sore all the time. Also have no ambition to get up and workout. My question is am I overtraining or am I being lazy, on top of my exercise activities I also work 40+ hours as a restaurant manager, and part time landscaper always on my feet moving around about 12 hours a day. Any help would be appreciated.

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  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
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    You know your own body better than anybody else... If you don't feel right, take a step back for a few days and stick to walking. Take a week to recover then straight back it after you've rested and slept!

    If the insomnia doesn't ease up, look on the bright side... Only 10 more sleeps left until Christmas, bro.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Yes, you are overtraining and your symptoms are the classic ones of being in a "overtrained" state.

    First: take a break--complete--from exercise for 3-4 days. Then ease back for another week or so at a reduced volume of exercise. You can do some interval work, but keep the work intervals shorts and the total workouts short. Do some lower-intensity workouts as well.

    As you work back into the higher volume/intensity, close to your previous levels, just be aware that you have to build in recovery time. That doesn't necessarily mean complete rest-- it can mean "active recovery-- including easier or shorter workouts in the routine and including weeks where you cut back signficantly on your workload. If you work smart, it is possible to maintain a high volume of exercise, but you can't just beat yourself up day after day after day.

    Any time you try sustain a high-volume workout routine, you will often be flirting with overtraining and likely drift over the edge from time to time. Try to avoid it by properly structuring your routine, and be aware of the symptoms so that you can intervene promptly.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    The thing is, this does't sound like a "high volume" workout schedule. Until this point, it was 3-4 short walks per week - that's barely even exorcise, unless the OP is significantly out of shape (OP - are you?)

    How are you eating?
  • LibbyCaramia
    LibbyCaramia Posts: 69 Member
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    If the insomnia doesn't ease up, look on the bright side... Only 10 more sleeps left until Christmas, bro.

    :laugh:

    That was great.

    But seriously OP, you sound like a crazy-busy dude. I agree with the other posters, if I were you I'd have a break for a few days or a week and tone it back once you start getting back into your training. Good luck and I hope you can get some quality sleep! Nothin' like it.

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