Does anyone know exactly causes workout fatigue, and are there any tips to avoiding it? I want to maintain a fit body, but I find that lifting weights often leaves me feeling tired for a day (or days if the intensity is high enough). Is there a way to avoid this? Is it possible to lift very lightly (so as not to induce mental fatigue) and build muscle at the same time?
The mental fatigue often seems to directly correlate with the soreness of my muscles. Often times, if I feel inexplicably tired and unable to focus, it only takes an instant to find a muscle which is sore.
If it is not possible to avoid workout fatigue, I'd rather have a scrawny body and live an intellectually/emotionally rich life, free of fatigue. But I'd love to be physically fit as well, if that's possible... ??
Workout Fatigue
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finnishfiend
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Re: Workout Fatigue
It is caused by a too great overall stress put on your body, which creates the fatigue to 'protect' your body.finnishfiend wrote:Does anyone know exactly causes workout fatigue, and are there any tips to avoiding it?
To avoid it, you simply need to decrease the overall load, and focus on specific exercises / muscles.
Yes, its possible, given certain conditions.I want to maintain a fit body, but I find that lifting weights often leaves me feeling tired for a day (or days if the intensity is high enough). Is there a way to avoid this? Is it possible to lift very lightly (so as not to induce mental fatigue) and build muscle at the same time?
1) Precise exercises that only burden those muscles that need to be targeted
2) Sufficient time in between exercising the same muscle. You shouldnt do exactly the same exercise more than once a week. You can use part of those same muscles however in a different exercise, but no more than 2 different exercises including (part of) those same muscles.
3) Little overall stress. Overal stress also includes other physical activities, such a job that requires physical activity. The lower overall stress, the easier it is to maintain muscle volume.
4) Monitor and maintain your blood energy levels at all times, as to avoid muscle-protein into available energy conversion.
Wise choice, but luckily it is very much possible, given that you find the right balance between physical activity (including the right exercises) and rest.If it is not possible to avoid workout fatigue, I'd rather have a scrawny body and live an intellectually/emotionally rich life, free of fatigue. But I'd love to be physically fit as well, if that's possible... ??
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finnishfiend
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Thanks RRM. It is good to know that it is possible to tackle workout fatigue and still get the benefits of working out. I'm just beginning to experiment with lighter/precision workouts. Hopefully I find my sweet spot. I haven't been maintaining constant blood sugar levels, either. So I suppose I have a lot to experiment with.
A couple of years ago, I might have been. I was working out 5 days a week, a different muscle group each day. About a half an hour for each day I worked out. I did about a dozen or so sets to failure, 8-12 reps. I made no strength gains, and no size gain... but I definitely wasn't eating enough calories for good muscle growth. I was tired all the time... but didn't make the connection between my mental fatigue and the workouts.
I have only been working out very infrequently over the past year or so (and I have made size gains by upping my calories). For example, if I don't workout my chest for a couple of weeks, and then I do 3-4 sets of 15 or so pushups, my chest is sore for a couple of days and I am irritable the next day. Or, for example, I didn't really run for a month or so: Then one day, I did a little warm up jog, and then did interval sprinting for about 10 minutes. My calves/shins hurt for a few days and I was tired and easily bothered. Both of these examples might be explained by saying that I was simply "out of shape" when I did them: But, I seem to have had the same feeling when I worked out just about every day? (A little less soreness, but the same "unable to focus" feeling). Maybe I just haven't found the balance between routine exercise and not "overdoing it".
On the bright side, if very little exercise pushes me into feeling sore, then perhaps I can grow with only very little exercise (like one set to failure, every few days). I have a lot to experiment with, I guess.
I don't think I'm overtraining, now?johndela1 wrote:What exactly is your program? If you are trying to build a strong body I'd say stick with some basic moves at first. You may be over training.
Can you post your workout routine and how often you do it?[/i]
A couple of years ago, I might have been. I was working out 5 days a week, a different muscle group each day. About a half an hour for each day I worked out. I did about a dozen or so sets to failure, 8-12 reps. I made no strength gains, and no size gain... but I definitely wasn't eating enough calories for good muscle growth. I was tired all the time... but didn't make the connection between my mental fatigue and the workouts.
I have only been working out very infrequently over the past year or so (and I have made size gains by upping my calories). For example, if I don't workout my chest for a couple of weeks, and then I do 3-4 sets of 15 or so pushups, my chest is sore for a couple of days and I am irritable the next day. Or, for example, I didn't really run for a month or so: Then one day, I did a little warm up jog, and then did interval sprinting for about 10 minutes. My calves/shins hurt for a few days and I was tired and easily bothered. Both of these examples might be explained by saying that I was simply "out of shape" when I did them: But, I seem to have had the same feeling when I worked out just about every day? (A little less soreness, but the same "unable to focus" feeling). Maybe I just haven't found the balance between routine exercise and not "overdoing it".
On the bright side, if very little exercise pushes me into feeling sore, then perhaps I can grow with only very little exercise (like one set to failure, every few days). I have a lot to experiment with, I guess.
This may sound too simple but try starting off all over as if you have never worked out.
Start with one set but stop short of failure not at failure. After a few weeks add a set.
The biggest thing I would change for you is to not work to failure.
Do you have access to free weights or do you prefer body weight exercises only?
I really believe there is a way you can achieve your goals without feeling bad or constantly fatigued.
Start with one set but stop short of failure not at failure. After a few weeks add a set.
The biggest thing I would change for you is to not work to failure.
Do you have access to free weights or do you prefer body weight exercises only?
I really believe there is a way you can achieve your goals without feeling bad or constantly fatigued.
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finnishfiend
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I have free weights, and I use them occasionally. For the most part, body weight exercises have been enough for me.
I'm basically like a beginner: even though I have a history of "trying" to workout, I never really got anywhere until the past 5 months or so. For the past 5 months I've mostly been focusing on keeping my calories up rather than fine-tuning my workouts. So I am open to trying new workout routines.
I will try your suggestion of "starting over" while stopping short of failure. It's a game of trial and error, I guess.
Thank you for the advice
I'm basically like a beginner: even though I have a history of "trying" to workout, I never really got anywhere until the past 5 months or so. For the past 5 months I've mostly been focusing on keeping my calories up rather than fine-tuning my workouts. So I am open to trying new workout routines.
I will try your suggestion of "starting over" while stopping short of failure. It's a game of trial and error, I guess.
Thank you for the advice
I think free weights can actually be easier or gentler than body weight stuff. I can bench press fine, but pushups hurt my wrists and elbows and even shoulders.
I try to design workouts with a balance of pushing and pulling moves. I'd also say to don't just think of stretching as something you do as a side thing, but actually dedicate time to stretching for it's own sake. I think keeping your joints mobile and with good range of motion is more important than weight training when it comes to logevity.
For example
Military press (pushing upward)
followed by pulldowns or pullups (pull from upward)
benchpress (pusing out)
rows (pulling from out)
dips (pushing down)
upright rows (pulling from down)
deep squats for legs
(http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Gluteus ... Squat.html)
then I'll hang from a bar and bring by feet up to touch my hands or at least my knees up to my chest making sure to curl up to work the abs as well as the hips
Once into this routine for a few weeks I usually switch to bigger moves like instead of upright rows and military press I'll do clean and jerk (http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Olympic ... dJerk.html). Basically start with the bar on the floor, deadlift it then bring it up to my shoulders then press it up. Also, I do some snatches with low weight where I take the bar from the ground to over my head in one quick motion (http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Olympic ... natch.html).
I dont' worry about isolating moves like curls or tricep pushdowns becaues these moves happen in my other exercises.
If you would like a more specific program feel free to contact me off line at trainer@jjdev.com. I am a ISSA certified personal trainer. I'd be happy to help you come up with a program (at no charge).
By the way, this offer is open to anyone from this waysays forum. I feel like I have learned so much life changing info here that it would be a small gesture in giving back or contributing to waisays.
The info found here is by far the best and most correct info I have come across anywhere on the web or in any books.
I try to design workouts with a balance of pushing and pulling moves. I'd also say to don't just think of stretching as something you do as a side thing, but actually dedicate time to stretching for it's own sake. I think keeping your joints mobile and with good range of motion is more important than weight training when it comes to logevity.
For example
Military press (pushing upward)
followed by pulldowns or pullups (pull from upward)
benchpress (pusing out)
rows (pulling from out)
dips (pushing down)
upright rows (pulling from down)
deep squats for legs
(http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Gluteus ... Squat.html)
then I'll hang from a bar and bring by feet up to touch my hands or at least my knees up to my chest making sure to curl up to work the abs as well as the hips
Once into this routine for a few weeks I usually switch to bigger moves like instead of upright rows and military press I'll do clean and jerk (http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Olympic ... dJerk.html). Basically start with the bar on the floor, deadlift it then bring it up to my shoulders then press it up. Also, I do some snatches with low weight where I take the bar from the ground to over my head in one quick motion (http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Olympic ... natch.html).
I dont' worry about isolating moves like curls or tricep pushdowns becaues these moves happen in my other exercises.
If you would like a more specific program feel free to contact me off line at trainer@jjdev.com. I am a ISSA certified personal trainer. I'd be happy to help you come up with a program (at no charge).
By the way, this offer is open to anyone from this waysays forum. I feel like I have learned so much life changing info here that it would be a small gesture in giving back or contributing to waisays.
The info found here is by far the best and most correct info I have come across anywhere on the web or in any books.
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finnishfiend
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Wed 14 Dec 2005 01:01
Thank you for your offer, I really appreciate it! And thank you for sharing what works for you, I will experiment with incorporating it into my own routines.
I also found that the information on this site helped put things into perspective and is helping me to get to the core of why what works and what doesn't- Even if I don't ultimately follow the WaiSays diet exactly.
I also found that the information on this site helped put things into perspective and is helping me to get to the core of why what works and what doesn't- Even if I don't ultimately follow the WaiSays diet exactly.