Conditioning and Training: Fight the Overtraining scare
There are people all everywhere who really try their hardest to get in shape. Bodybuilders, athletes and regular everyday guys just trying to stay healthy and impress the ladies. Everyone has different goals, ambitions and dreams; activities that give some type of purpose to a person’s life.
Whatever yours may be, the so called fitness experts always warn against the offset of overtraining. In my honest opinion, I think overtraining is a crock of shit. “But why Jared, there are so many studies proving you other wise.” The answer is simple. The very same mechanisms that control hypertrophy and atrophy in our bodies are the same mechanisms that help our bodies adapt. Put the body under enough stress, and the body will adapt. This is a given. We all know the studies that back that statement, and we all know the studies that refute the statement. In a nutshell, there 101 ways to prove my statement and there’s 101 ways to disprove it.
So what the hell am I trying to say?
Train your ass off. Workout has hard as you can, as long as you can, and as often as you can. You only live this life once.
For over 4 months I weight trained for almost 2 hours and ran 5 miles immediately afterwards. Four hours later I would do mixed martial arts cardio for 2 hours afterwards. I was EXERCISING for over 20 hours a week.
Did I have so much cortisol in my system that I gained fat more easily. No, I was in the best shape of my life.
The point I am trying to make is make sure you train as hard as you can, because the results will be there if you try hard and want it badly enough. I just urge everyone not to be afraid of overtraining, because the human body is a remarkable organism. I think people don’t give it enough credit sometimes.
While I am not an expert in sports physiology, I have experienced the training first hand. But who are you going to listen to, an armchair expert who recites everything from books, or someone who has lived, breathed and survived the training, still standing in front of you while being in the best shape of his life? That's for you to decide.
Jared Davis is a martial arts champion practicing Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu. He is an aspiring strength & condition coach as well as a mixed martial art instructor. He can be reached at jmdavis8@kent.edu.
There are people all everywhere who really try their hardest to get in shape. Bodybuilders, athletes and regular everyday guys just trying to stay healthy and impress the ladies. Everyone has different goals, ambitions and dreams; activities that give some type of purpose to a person’s life.
Whatever yours may be, the so called fitness experts always warn against the offset of overtraining. In my honest opinion, I think overtraining is a crock of shit. “But why Jared, there are so many studies proving you other wise.” The answer is simple. The very same mechanisms that control hypertrophy and atrophy in our bodies are the same mechanisms that help our bodies adapt. Put the body under enough stress, and the body will adapt. This is a given. We all know the studies that back that statement, and we all know the studies that refute the statement. In a nutshell, there 101 ways to prove my statement and there’s 101 ways to disprove it.
So what the hell am I trying to say?
Train your ass off. Workout has hard as you can, as long as you can, and as often as you can. You only live this life once.
For over 4 months I weight trained for almost 2 hours and ran 5 miles immediately afterwards. Four hours later I would do mixed martial arts cardio for 2 hours afterwards. I was EXERCISING for over 20 hours a week.
Did I have so much cortisol in my system that I gained fat more easily. No, I was in the best shape of my life.
The point I am trying to make is make sure you train as hard as you can, because the results will be there if you try hard and want it badly enough. I just urge everyone not to be afraid of overtraining, because the human body is a remarkable organism. I think people don’t give it enough credit sometimes.
While I am not an expert in sports physiology, I have experienced the training first hand. But who are you going to listen to, an armchair expert who recites everything from books, or someone who has lived, breathed and survived the training, still standing in front of you while being in the best shape of his life? That's for you to decide.
Jared Davis is a martial arts champion practicing Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu. He is an aspiring strength & condition coach as well as a mixed martial art instructor. He can be reached at jmdavis8@kent.edu.
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