I Am a Dumbass. (Overtraining)

[Gary Gibson]

Yes, I should have done an intermediate linear progression instead of running myself into the ground with high volume, high intensity and too much frequency. When I lost the ability to jump because of extreme pain and fatigue around my quadriceps insertions, I should have realized that I was doing something horribly wrong.

I've been off squats for ten days (except that day a couple days ago I warmed up and stopped with 315x1 when I realized I was burnt out). I'm benching, pressing and pulling/chinning up with 1/2-3/4 GOMAD in the meantime. Have you ever seen someone train their squat into the ground? What sort of recovery times have been needed? Active rest in a couple weeks?

I was trying to peak for a meet while not gaining too much weight. This was not a good idea, especially when one considers I need to gain another 20 lbs not to look comical on the platform. I know that...now...

[Mark Rippetoe]

Yes Gary, you are a moron. I've trained myself into the same situation several times, and I was a moron. The problem with this is that you have fucked up your meet timing as a result. You'll have to let things heal and start back on your body's schedule instead of yours.

[karlwright]

I'm pretty sure we all think overtraining can only happen to other people. Believing that our programming and our body's ability to adapt to training is superior, we all end up fucking ourselves at some point.

[Joel Chapman]

Yes, I should have done an intermediate linear progression instead of running myself into the ground with high volume, high intensity and too much frequency. When I lost the ability to jump because of extreme pain and fatigue around my quadriceps insertions, I should have realized that I was doing something horribly wrong.

I've been off squats for ten days (except that day a couple days ago I warmed up and stopped with 315x1 when I realized I was burnt out). I'm benching, pressing and pulling/chinning up with 1/2-3/4 GOMAD in the meantime. Have you ever seen someone train their squat into the ground? What sort of recovery times have been needed? Active rest in a couple weeks?

I was trying to peak for a meet while not gaining too much weight. This was not a good idea, especially when one considers I need to gain another 20 lbs not to look comical on the platform. I know that...now...

Good News: You have a lot of good training ideas.

Bad News: You have a lot of good training ideas.

I think you are on the right path now, by keeping it as simple as possible until progress halts, then making one change. I think you had so many ideas running through your head (smolov, belts, neoprene, no heels, no belt, knee wraps, knee wraps-loose, etc) that you got away from the basics before you had to.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Oooh, JoEL. You are the official Man.

[Michael Liao]

Have you ever seen someone train their squat into the ground? What sort of recovery times have been needed? Active rest in a couple weeks?

I was trying to peak for a meet while not gaining too much weight. This was not a good idea, especially when one considers I need to gain another 20 lbs not to look comical on the platform. I know that...now...

Personally, when I think I'm training my squat into the ground I usually go back into a re-adaptation phase. I believe I'm quoting coach Carl Miller.

What you think is regression or a decreased max, is just a relative maximum at this point in thecycle.

So far, my personal program resembles the sample pyramid advanced progression as in Practical Programming. However, my weights are lighter and lasts about 6 weeks.

I find that I can produce a peak. After which, I go back to rebuild the foundations -- of the pyramid -- in order to produced another peak.

[Joel Chapman]

Oooh, JoEL. You are the official Man.

I'm glad I could amuse you. That's all I got.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Personally, when I think I'm training my squat into the ground I usually go back into a re-adaptation phase. I believe I'm quoting coach Carl Miller.

What you think is regression or a decreased max, is just a relative maximum at this point in thecycle.

But what if you didn't intend this to happen? It's now an unintentional cycle? You think that Miller considers overtraining a necessary part of training, since he calls it "re-adaptation"?

[Michael Liao]

But what if you didn't intend this to happen? It's now an unintentional cycle? You think that Miller considers overtraining a necessary part of training, since he calls it "re-adaptation"?

I could be doing my training-time and energy a disservice by stubbornly misapplying a unsuitable program.

Coach, at this point I'm coming up on my second year of continuous training. With my modest background/backlog of training I generally impose a cycle no longer than 8 weeks. Then, I follow what I perceive as a physical peak with a week vacation.

I've reread parts of an article entitled 'Training Methods' by Mr. Miller. I guess I could define my progression as: preparation, contest, vacation, readaptation & preparation again, in that order with the inverse relationship between volume and intensity.

However, I'm nowhere near my goal of a 500lb. squat so I'm open to any illumination to get me there... If only I had better genetics...

Thank you, Sir!

[homerj742]

I blame your lady friend, Gary.