Want A Big Bench?
by Mike Westerdal
criticalbench.com
Then you're probably determined to get one.
It's that same determination that will be your struggle. The more you want
it, the harder you want to work and the longer you want to stay in the
gym. This is going to lead to overtraining which will stunt any strength
gains you've made and delay any dreams of an even bigger bench.
How do you know if you're at risk of overtraining?
If you feel run down after a workout, notice that you aren't making any
gains, you always do forced reps, you're not getting enough rest, your
diet stinks, you have a bad attitude or you aren't motivated you're probably
overtraining. Insomnia is another big sign. Put it this way, if a weight
continually feels heavier than normal, chances are you haven't gotten weaker,
you just haven't recovered from previous workouts.
There are three distinct stages of metabolism.
The first is a state of equilibrium easily described as the fully recovered
state where energy is neither being depleted and tissue is not being damaged
or repaired. The second stage is catabolism. Catabolism is the stage you
are in during a workout. Energy is being depleted and muscle tissue is
being damaged. Your goals should be to keep catabolism in the gym, but
many people that overtrain keep this stage going long after their workouts
end and lose hard-earned muscle tissue to help the recovery. Finally the
stage that usually doesn't get much of a chance to kick in before we're
back in the gym for another session. The third stage is anabolism where
energy is restored and tissue damage is being repaired. So after you lift
you want to heal and reach a state of homeostasis,but instead many of us
are back in the gym tearing our muscles and using energy when we haven't
even let the muscle fully recover from the previous workout. Never lift
a muscle group that is still sore. I know it's difficult but sometimes
more isn't better.
There is always the urge to overtrain thinking
that if we just work harder the gains will come. How do we resist the urge?
First off lets think, quality not quantity. If you lift each muscle group
only once a week and spend less than 1 hr in the gym you're on the right
path. Although you don't have to spend a lot of time in the gym the time
spent must be intense. Every single exercise and rep should be performed
with a passion and you will accomplish more in 45 minutes than most people
do in two hours. If you are truly pushing yourself you should be exhausted
at the end of the workout. After tearing your body apart, do you think
it's going to be ready to do it again in two to three days? I think not,
try at least a week. So all you benchers out there if you're lifting heavy,
workout after workout make sure that the reason you hit a plateau is not
that you are trying too often. Let your body recover, heal, and grow before
you start ripping it up again. When you hit each body part several times
a week you don't really try as hard because you know you'll get another
shot at it a week. When you only lift each body part once per week you
develop a sense of urgency. You know you better lift hard because you won't
get another chance to train it again for a week. Then as the week passes
by you find yourself looking forward to your next chest day. Anyone that
thinks they might be overtraining take a couple of days off and go pack
to the gym revived and motivated with the determination to train smarter
and harder.
Get your own Customized Bench
Press Program from Critical
Bench that will help you increase your bench press by fifty pounds
in ten weeks.
Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter
"The Bench Press" by sending an e-mail to subscribe@criticalbench.com.
Each issue brings you training articles, recipes, jokes, bench tips, special
offers, and much more. You will automatically be entered to win t-shirts,
programs and other great prizes. All PopularFitness.com readers
who sign up will receive a free issue of PowerMag in the mail. There
is nothing to cancel or pay.