Exercise Questions - How Do I Know If I'm Over Training?

Exercise Question:
I have been working out for 7 months and have made some significant progress using machines. I feel like I have now hit a plateau and would like to start working on using dumbbells and free weights. I am not sure of what routines to do, what number of reps and at what weights. I usually spend 3-3.5 hours in gym 3 times a week and am worried I may be overworking muscles and hampering their growth. I would like to cut down time I spend there and maximize my workouts. Can you help me?

Exercise Answer:
First off, if you're spending 3 hours in the gym for each workout, you are severely over training! Your weight training session should ideally be 45 minutes and never go over 1 hour. Your testosterone levels start to decrease after about 45-60 minutes into a strength training workout, so anytime over this and your basically wasting your time. Your body wants to rest and recover from resistance training, so make sure and hit it hard for 45 minutes and get out of the gym to recover!

I would definitely recommend making the transition from machines to free weights. Use basic free weight movements for mass building and you should see your muscle mass and strength sore! Here are a few core movements to implement into your training plan:

• Chest Exercise
  
• Back Exercise
  
• Legs Exercise
  
• Shoulders Exercise
  
• Biceps Exercise
  
• Triceps Exercise
  

In terms of sets and reps, you should focus on starting with higher reps initially to get the "feel" of the movements down. I would focus on doing 3-5 sets for each exercise with reps of 12-15. Make sure to split each workout into different muscle groups like this:

Monday:
Chest & Back

Wednesday:
Legs

Friday:
Shoulders & Arms

The weight you use will completely depend on how strong you are. A good rule of thumb is to simply start out with a very light weight and increase the weight on each set by 5 pound increments. This way you will really know how your reps change with each increase in weight. Also make sure to keep a journal of your weight training sessions to monitor your strength gains. You can download a free exercise journal here:

• Exercise Journals

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