Did I overtrain in only 1 month?? help

I don't know if it's really overtraining, but it definitely sounds like "too much, too soon" combined with undereating. What kind of intensity are you doing for your TSS scores?

frenchyge said:

I don't know if it's really overtraining, but it definitely sounds like "too much, too soon" combined with undereating. What kind of intensity are you doing for your TSS scores?

Well looking back in January it seems I averaged 1 day of .9 - 1.1 two days of .81 - .9 and two days of .6 -.7 something around there. My plan was *Mon L2-L3 * Tues L3 * Wed L2 * Thu L4 * Fri Recovery * Sat Long L2/3 * Sun L5 then long L2

I dont know if it matters but I would also do weight training twice a week upper body only.

Thanks again for your help

frenchyge said:

I don't know if it's really overtraining, but it definitely sounds like "too much, too soon" combined with undereating. What kind of intensity are you doing for your TSS scores?

I would add to frenchy's comments that you should review your nutrition along with the calories. When i started limiting my caloric intake I had to start supplimenting with a daily multi-vitamin. I'd also suggest taking a amino acid suppliment a few tiems a week and getting a good recovery drink (such as Endurox) for right after those workouts. You'd be suprised how much of a difference it can make in your recovery and ability to train on consecutive days.
I have basically eliminated "rest" days from my program, unless I'm on the road for work, I don't take one.

Pureshot78 said:

I would add to frenchy's comments that you should review your nutrition along with the calories. When i started limiting my caloric intake I had to start supplimenting with a daily multi-vitamin. I'd also suggest taking a amino acid suppliment a few tiems a week and getting a good recovery drink (such as Endurox) for right after those workouts. You'd be suprised how much of a difference it can make in your recovery and ability to train on consecutive days.
I have basically eliminated "rest" days from my program, unless I'm on the road for work, I don't take one.

I am taking some extra vitamins a centrum for lunch and a extra C E and B complex after I work out. My recovery drink was comprised of 16 oz cran grape juice mixed with a half scoop of gold standard whey protien. This added up to about 100 grams of carbs and about 12 grams of prortien. I was reading that DOMS really was not caused by a lack of glycogen in the muscles so I figured my diet was OK. Maybe not though. Thanks for your help

Hoghunter said:

Oh yeah I was 28 6'2 185 lbs when I started in January. My tss for weeks 1-3 were 430 540 470 which were all done on a indoor trainer. I tried to take a rest week but still kept riding everyday since I was trying to lose weight. by the 4th week I weighed 173 I drank water like crazy and figured my calories this way food- calories burned cycling = 1500. So if I burned a 1000 calories riding that day I ate 2500 calories.

You should talk to a nutritionnist about your little formula. I am no expert, but a 3000-3500 calories per day would probably be a more appropriate diet for someone burning 1000 per day in a sport activity.

For instance, your little formula doesn't take into account, the big increase in base metabolism that your body is experimenting in reaction to training. That is just an example.

An other thing, I am a bit surprised by your goal to loose weight. 6'2-185 seemed pretty reasonable to me. Are you trying to improve hill climbing or something?

Now back to your original question. Can you get into an overtraining state in a month? My answer is a definite yes, pretty much for the reason frenchyge and Pureshot78 have mentionned.

You can screwup half a season, by training the wrong way during only a month. More importanly, when exposed to a high variety of stressors (social, work place, family, etc), training is not always the most harmful. And to some extend, I think we can add "poor diet" on the list too.

If you do suffer from early stage of overtraining, my guess would be that you would got the Inhibitory form. It's characterized by a gradual glycogen depletion over several days, several weeks. When glycogen is low and energy is needed for training, athletes's muscles react (1) by consuming their own protein material for energy (Anderson & Sharp,1990) and (2) by inhibiting anaerobic metabolism. Note that an increase in protein catabolism should, at the very least, interfere with improvements of muscular power and aerobic capacity and, at worst, cause a reversal training effect. Reason for this is that, among other things, mitochondrial size and number are regulated by an increase in the protein supply of muscles (Booth & Holloszy, 1977).

So be careful with the diet. You may accelerate, or facilitate overtraining state by volontary limiting your calory intake.

Here are some of the symtoms of Overtraining. You don't have to have them all of course, at least I which you don't.

Physical
Poor performance level, slower recovery rate
Loss of weight, joint and muscle soreness
Allergic reactions, repeated head colds and sinusitis
Loss of appetite, nausea, lack of energy
Funny heart rate, heart rate recovery longer than normal
Sweat more than usual (very easily)

Psychological
Anxiety, depression, Irritability, Insomnia
Difficulty concentrating
Loss of confidence, Lack of fighting power and confidence, fear of competition
Loss of sexual appetite

I see so maybe it was the diet the whole time. Yes I am trying to get better at hill climbing, at my "peak" last year I was around 160 and I was flying up hills. I remember I was doing a century ride and jumping in with some people from a local racing team. We were climbing up this longish hill and I remember looking back and was shocked seeing them struggling, wobbling and I never trained or did intervals or anything just riding for fun. Let me tell you I felt like the "MAN" 😎 Anyway at the end of last year I decided to do some weight training to look a little less uh scrawny and quickly ballooned up to 185. I figured I would lose the weight once I started riding again. So here I am feeling weaker then ever. Crazy

I took this weekend off and am going to try that plan in hunter/coggans book again. Thanks again for everyones input I really have no one else to ask at this point. My friends and girlfriend think I am crazy for riding so much. And its hard for me to point out the benefits of being active when I feel like [censored] and they look happy eating [censored] and drinking heavy amounts of 1800. 😠

Hoghunter said:

I see so maybe it was the diet the whole time. Yes I am trying to get better at hill climbing, at my "peak" last year I was around 160 and I was flying up hills....

I see what you're trying to do, and I respect.

Just get an appointment with a good sport nutritionnist, and tell her your story. You guys will establish a nice and smooth strategy, that'll allow you to reach your goals, in a safer way. That appointment will cost you what... 80$ maybe. It's worthwhile.

Have a wonderful season