[gcarmichael]

Hi,

I've been training loads over the last 3 months with around five 3 hour sessions (mainly on 45 board) a week. Saw strength gains up until about a 4 weeks ago but since then it's been taking longer for me to recover between sessions, felt more tired than usual, sore throat in mornings, muscle aches and generally felt weaker and more run down.

Just wondered if anybody has had experience of overtraining and if so whats the best way to recover from it?

Any advice much appreciated,

Cheers

[iain]

Try some proper rest, like a couple of weeks with no climbing. You'll probably come back stronger from the break.

[mrjonathanr]

Proper overtraining is not a desirable condition, but it isn't easy to achieve either. Bodybuilding sites like T.Nation should have lots on this. PPOnline  is a good reference site IMO.

[masonwoods101]

Even ondra takes time off....

[scottygillery]

Right sunshine, when I was a yoot...

We used to train 8 times a day, for 3 hours, mostly on a 55, only on mono crimpers. And Big Ron told me to man up and do some press-ups, I was ashamed.

get-to it sonny jim.

[psychomansam]

Try some proper rest, like a couple of weeks with no climbing. You'll probably come back stronger from the break.

Second that. You may also be fighting a cold, which will make it worse.

Remember training makes you weaker. Recovery makes you stronger.
You're training hard, but are you recovering hard too? 8 hours sleep a night, great nutrition at the right time and no alcohol?

[Nibile]

Yes, it could esily be some degree of overtraining. Difficult sleep, higher resting heart pulse, irritability could be other symptoms.
Five three hours sessions is a lot if it's bouldering.
Maybe some professional advice on periodization could help you.

[gcarmichael]

Yeh i've been sleeping well (about 9 hours each night), not drinking much and nutrition wise i've been eating healthy and having plenty of protein in diet but not many carbs (could be part of the problem?).

Over the last few weeks i've reduced the volume to 2/3 sessions a week but it's not had much of an effect. It sounds like I need a proper rest, think i'll have 2 weeks off and see how im feeling. Definitely need to allow more time for recovery when I start training again, just got a bit carried away!

Thanks a lot for the advice guys.

[psychomansam]

It's easier and quicker to make gradual gains than it is to overtrain and recover from injury. You're young, so think about the long term. Don't let your short term passion fuck things up for you. Spread it out a bit.

As well as the rest, perhaps sack off everything indoors for a bit? Too much time training indoors is a classic mid-winter mid-england problem.

[Doylo]

 You don't need to train as much as that for power gains. Its more about quality. For ultimate endurance you need to put a bit more time in. Chill out on the training a bit and get outdoors a bit more. It ll keep the psyche up too

[abarro81]

Has the UK suddenly changed in the week I've been out of the country? Get outside more?? Isn't everything perma wet?

George - you're probably overreached rather than fully overtrained, take it easy for a couple of weeks (lower volume and intensity) and sack off dieting for that period too IMO. Probably worth mixing it up for a while too after that rather than just carrying on with the same format - maybe switch it up with some fingerboarding etc.

It's worth noting the specifics of how your body feels as it gets burnt out as the feelings/process seems to be different for different people. I find that at first I feel just as strong at the start of sessions but the length of that feeling goes down - if normally I'll feel strong for 2-3hrs I'll start feeling crap after just an hour, then 45min, then 30min.. At the same time I usually feel like I need to eat loads of sugary/high energy things to get any energy to train, but whatever I eat I still feel knackered. If I start getting like that I know I need to ease off - e.g. a couple of double rest days in a week; pushing through just means it'll take me weeks to get form back and isn't worth it.

[masonwoods101]

everyone bought a blow torch..... hahaha

[scottygillery]

at one point i had watched "The Wire" (charlie brookers a fan) for so many hours in a row i shot my mum. Now THATS over training. FACT. SCIENCE.

[Doylo]

2013s been dry!

[Three Nine]

George, as you are interested in bouldering and short routes I think you are doing much too much volume. Its taken me ages to learn that, even though it feels lazy, less really is more as far as gaining max strength + power. I would try limiting your sessions to 2hrz max.

[gcarmichael]

Cheers for all the tips. Yeh that sounds similar to how i've been lately Alex. Think i'll have two weeks off and when i start again i'll put more rest into my plan. Yeh definitely need to cut down session length for what i'm doing. Got too into the board climbing! 

Thanks again

[Moo]

your quite young gr there's plenty of time to get strong and you'll make long lasting gains very quickly at the moment. The key is not getting injured and training right not just the amount of training.

[gcarmichael]

Yeh that's true.

My plan for training in the near future involves doing sessions on a 30 and 45 board focusing mainly on small holds and will be doing periods of fingerboarding and campusing at some point as well for extra strength and power.

Step in the right direction? 

[Paul B]

Step in the right direction?

Probably not actually, not in the 'long term' anyway. Training like a beast is a great way for short-term gratification but be prepared with the fact it comes at a price, especially when teamed with non-consolidation at various grade thresholds.

[shark]

Step in the right direction?

Probably not actually, not in the 'long term' anyway. Training like a beast is a great way for short-term gratification but be prepared with the fact it comes at a price, especially when teamed with non-consolidation at various grade thresholds.

That long term can be made up of a series of progressive short term gratifications.

Nowt wrong and a lot right with a stint of intensive training on steep boards etc taking care to minimise the risk of injury 

[Paul B]

but that's not what we're reading here is it (or else the phrase over-training wouldn't be being mentioned) and thus I disagree.

People can do whatever they wish (this includes George and even Barrows) but its a bad plan to chase strength and avoid consolidation in the long run.

[shark]

Fair point.

So given that he's spent '" 3 months with around five 3 hour sessions (mainly on 45 board)" and is having a short break to recover what do you recommend after to unite strength gains and consolidation ?

[andy_e]

Climb outside a lot?

[shark]

Climb outside a lot?

He lives at the Tor and Rubicon

[andy_e]

A change is as good as a (kneebar) rest. Gritstone?