Overtraining? Help with injury prevention! Will REP!

[PeterBHoang]

I've worked my way up to 230 3x5 on the bench press and then i started feeling sluggish and my right shoulder started acting up again, I bench with my elbows at 45 degrees. The first 3 days I do 3x5 and the second 3 days i do 3x8 for compound lifts (bench,squat,mp,etc.) anyways I took 5 days off because of my shoulder and today I started with incline no flat at all and even 185 3x5 was hard for me and db press incline i only did 3x5 60lb. Am I overtraining? should I switch to working out each muscle group once a week because the volume is too much and im moving too much weight? Reps given!

monday-chest/tri
tuesday-shoulder/leg
wednesday-back/bi
rest
repeat (thursday)

Usually 5 different exercises for each muscle group

[bmontgomery87]

you might be creating imbalances w/ bad programming.

chest/tris end up working the hell out of your shoulders.
then the next day you work your shoulders again.

probably not the brightest idea.
you may also be going too heavy too often.

its not overtraining, it's just the start of an injury from bad planning IMO

[PeterBHoang]

you might be creating imbalances w/ bad programming.

chest/tris end up working the hell out of your shoulders.
then the next day you work your shoulders again.

probably not the brightest idea.
you may also be going too heavy too often.

its not overtraining, it's just the start of an injury from bad planning IMO

Thanks bro repped, do you have any advice for a new split or program concentrating strictly on hypertrophy? Im open to a new program or any advice

[Hisairness]

Monday-Chest/tris
Rest
Wed-Back/Bis
Rest
Fri-Shoulders/legs

There ya go

[intensebro]

Someone else kind of already said this, but this doesn't sound like over training; it sounds like you just injured yourself mildly and are continuing to work out before it's healed. If you are doing something, then experience pain, then stop doing what you were doing for a while. I have gotten some downright retarded injuries that could have completely been avoided from simply doing retarded things.

Using your chest/tris and really pushing them, then using shoulders the next day is also asking for trouble, again like the other person already said. Not even so much because of injury, but because you are going to be using muscle groups that are trying to heal to get through the workout, before they have healed. This will drastically slow any kind of strength increase.

The sky is the limit when it comes to "what kind of routine" will work for me, you just have to find something you personally can get through that provides you personally with the best strength and aesthetic results.

For me it's Sunday- chest, Monday - Legs, Tuesday - Arms, Wednesday - Shoulders, Thursday - Back, OFF, OFF, repeat. The off days are "off" days, those are simply days when I do not lift weights hard or heavy. I do HIT cardio 6 days a week also. Just keep eating enough, make sure you're covering your macros, you won't over train and you'll do fine.

Good luck.

[PeterBHoang]

Have you guys found working out each muscle group once a week is adequate?

[intensebro]

Have you guys found working out each muscle group once a week is adequate?

Absolutely. You have to remember that you grow when you are sleeping, and you heal when you are resting. Genetics vary and humans are all different, but generally speaking it takes any muscle group days to fully recover. I'm sure you've seen or heard a lot of people get torn a new one for saying things like "abs are the only muscle you can train every day and it be ok!". The reason why is because that's just a muscle group, like any other and needs time to heal like any other. If you plan things right and learn your body and spread workouts out enough, you absolutely can do arms twice in a week, or abs, or calves, etc etc but just generally speaking really pushing something once a week is plenty. Especially if you are doing lots of repping till failure, lots of energy etc.

Nothing wrong with split routines they work great for some people, and maybe they are what's best for you. Just stressing to be careful and really give yourself some time to recover. There's all kinds of different routines you can try, if you feel like what you are doing has you spinning tires of could possibly even worse be causing you injury, change it.

[CRWilson4]

Have you guys found working out each muscle group once a week is adequate?

For some it is. It depends what your body can take and on your diet.
I do everthing twice a week.

[davisj3537]

Reps given!

I think you are missing the concept of repping people. You don't have any rep power.

Have you guys found working out each muscle group once a week is adequate?

No, that is garbage. Many elite lifters work each muscle group 2xweek.

[CRWilson4]

I think you are missing the concept of repping people. You don't have any rep power.


No, that is garbage. Many elite lifters work each muscle group 2xweek.

True, Most elite lifters do evertying twice a week but for the average person ...it can be too much! Need to consider that.

[davisj3537]

True, Most elite lifters do evertying twice a week but for the average person ...it can be too much! Need to consider that.

It is the exact opposite actually. The more new you are to lifting the more frequency your body can handle. As your fitness level increases your body and cns need longer to repair. Veteran lifters only need 3-4 days for recovery so someone with less than 2 years or so lifting experience doesn't need more than they do.

Everyone is different and your own body tells you how often you can handle this type of thing, but 99% (oversimplification) of the population don't need to be doing once per week stuff.

[JOWS6]

Describe what you mean when you say "my shoulder was acting up". If it's a dull aching pain, be sure to ice several times a day, take some NSAID's and rest it before it gets worse - that's if it's inflammation.

[CRWilson4]

It is the exact opposite actually. The more new you are to lifting the more frequency your body can handle. As your fitness level increases your body and cns need longer to repair. Veteran lifters only need 3-4 days for recovery so someone with less than 2 years or so lifting experience doesn't need more than they do.

Everyone is different and your own body tells you how often you can handle this type of thing, but 99% (oversimplification) of the population don't need to be doing once per week stuff.

Veteran bodybuilders....3-4 days recovery!! more like 48 hours.

[CRWilson4]

I've worked my way up to 230 3x5 on the bench press and then i started feeling sluggish and my right shoulder started acting up again, I bench with my elbows at 45 degrees. The first 3 days I do 3x5 and the second 3 days i do 3x8 for compound lifts (bench,squat,mp,etc.) anyways I took 5 days off because of my shoulder and today I started with incline no flat at all and even 185 3x5 was hard for me and db press incline i only did 3x5 60lb. Am I overtraining? should I switch to working out each muscle group once a week because the volume is too much and im moving too much weight? Reps given!

monday-chest/tri
tuesday-shoulder/leg
wednesday-back/bi
rest
repeat (thursday)

Usually 5 different exercises for each muscle group

Maybe your not overtraining..but not warming up? i've had shoulder pains benching from not warming up before.

[davisj3537]

Veteran bodybuilders....3-4 days recovery!! more like 48 hours.

I'd advise you actually research this before spreading more broscience man.

To OP, the shoulder pain you are experiencing could be from flaring your elbows. A vid would help to see your form. I know you said you bench at 45 degrees, but I thought I was too. I benched with flared elbows till I got over 300 and starting having shoulder pain until I started tucking properly.

[PeterBHoang]

It feels like its inflammed, I can hear it grind if I move it. It just doesnt feel good or normal, I corrected my form from an earlier injury but its acting up again. I will try to get time to post a video, I just switched to doing shoulders after bench day. I used to do back after bench but then that would cause me to do shouldetrs before my second chest day

[davisj3537]

It feels like its inflammed, I can hear it grind if I move it. It just doesnt feel good or normal, I corrected my form from an earlier injury but its acting up again. I will try to get time to post a video, I just switched to doing shoulders after bench day. I used to do back after bench but then that would cause me to do shouldetrs before my second chest day

I've never been a huge fan of those type of splits. I mean a lot of people do them and they have their advantages; however, if you are doing shoulders after bench day you are overworking shoulders. Front delts are used a lot during bench.

[PeterBHoang]

I've never been a huge fan of those type of splits. I mean a lot of people do them and they have their advantages; however, if you are doing shoulders after bench day you are overworking shoulders. Front delts are used a lot during bench.

what type of routine are you doing

[coolwavy]

Have you guys found working out each muscle group once a week is adequate?

For me it's not adequate. I train the same muscle groups everyday, just less volume on some days.

Does your shoulder hurt when you do deadlifts? If not, a max effort deadlift may reset your shoulder to it's instantaneous axis of rotation.

[davisj3537]

what type of routine are you doing

I do an upper/lower split. I'll do each every 72 hours. If I do Upper on Monday, then Tuesday is Lower, Thursday is Upper, Friday is Lower...etc.

[PeterBHoang]

I do an upper/lower split. I'll do each every 72 hours. If I do Upper on Monday, then Tuesday is Lower, Thursday is Upper, Friday is Lower...etc.

Can you give me a sample of your routine? Appreciated

[davisj3537]

Can you give me a sample of your routine? Appreciated

Upper-
Decline or Flat Bench-3x5 (I alternate the two every month or so) 2-3 warm up sets
Close grip smith bench-3x8 (it is easy to focus on your elbows tucked all the way in on the smith machine)
Face pull from 4 angles starting low and working high- 4x10 one set for each angle
weighted pull ups-5x3 1 warm up set
shrugs-3x12
reverse pec deck-3x10
cable flyes-3x8
yates rows-3x8

I prefer to go a bit heavy on back exercises since my chest and shoulder sets are very intense.

Lower-
Low bar squats-sometimes swapped for box squats-3x5 with 2-3 warm up sets to get up to weight.
lunges-4x6
leg press-3x8
deadlift-alternate between conventional, rack pulls and sumo-3x5 with 2-3 warm up sets to get up to weight.
calf extensions-3x12
adductor and abductor machines. 3x10

I hope that helps. This my routine with all of my shirted and suited work taken out (mostly bands and boards)

Keep in mind if your switching from a once a week routine take it easy on weight for a workout or two to acclimate your muscles.