Does anyone else suffer from these. I go thru this wierd sort of cycle. I go way over board on training for a while, end up injuring myslf in various ways as a result and being out of training for a while. As soon as i can start back up I tend to do the same thing.

For a while there I waas training 35-40 hours a week as well as working full time. Kept this up for a long time then had tos top all together for 7 months as a result of torn ligaments with a side order of multiple stress fractures.
The cycle has repeated itself for years. Usually im out for a couple of months a year.
Its annoying as hell but i cant seem to stop doing it.

I just enjoy exercise too much. Sometimes when im trying to cut back I'll say "i'll just go for a short jog today and leave it at that". Next thing I know i've been running for 3 or 4 hours.

I know it sounds like a simple case of cut back, but i just dont seem to be able to do it.

Then when im out of action i end up jsut aout climbing the walls.

Anyone else experienced this problem?

train hard but train smart. I train as hard as I can but if im injured I do everything I can to make sure I don't exacerbate it (sp?)

I know guys who think they are hard men by kicking when they have a leg injury, continuing to punch if they have a hand injury. I dont have much respect for that kind of behaviour because nobody will think you are tough when you are 40 years old and are a surgeons nightmare.

one thing you might try and do is set yourself up a timetable of things you are going to do. make sure the things are relevant and have an end goal. when you finish it you can feel good about completing your goal for the day, whereas if you are just training for the sake of training you might feel like you arent getting anywhere. And make sure you focus on technique over everything else. this will stop you getting injured. watch my youtube vid in my signature, I didn't win because I was stronger or because I had more stamina (I just could hide my tiredness better than him) it was because I trained my technique better than he did. power and speed come with good solid basics.

Hold on a minute colon.

You where training 35-40 hours per week ? You where running for 3 hours at a time ? That is just crazy. No wonder you overtrained. Your're doing too much, thats more training than proffessional fighters do and it's certainly more than anyone needs. Just cut back to 3 times per week to back off.

one thing you might try and do is set yourself up a timetable of things you are going to do. make sure the things are relevant and have an end goal.

I concur. This is a good way to progressively build useful skills. On another note, you shouldnt keep vague goals, either. Nothing like "I want to have the fastest kicks in the gym by friday night." You have to keep them realistic and attainable. Something like having a certain number of kicks or combinations you can do in like 3 minutes, then build upon it to do more next time. Using a clock also insures that youre working hard and at a good pace.

Congratulations on your fight alex, he looked like he was going to make a run for it by the end of the video.

Hold on a minute colon.

You where training 35-40 hours per week ? You where running for 3 hours at a time ? That is just crazy. No wonder you overtrained. Your're doing too much, thats more training than proffessional fighters do and it's certainly more than anyone needs. Just cut back to 3 times per week to back off.

This is good advice everyone. Especially the timetable. I just get carried away cause its just too much fun. Only about 6-8 hrs a week is MA specific stuff, most of the rest is running and gym work.
I think i train because i just love doing it and dont have it isolated to specific goals. Definitely a gem of advice on that one.
I have read about exercise addiction and wonder if this is a factor

I read in a book one time....

The Fighters Fact Book by. Loren W. Christenson

That you have to rest. Listen to your body. If you feel that your body is saying slow down then slow down. If you dont you will pay for it when you get older.

:5eek: What Alex said. I had the same type of addiction, though not as bad as you. As I finally got older and burned out, I figured I should concentrate more on quality, then quantity. Train smart---->Quality workout----->Better results. At least in my case.:XXsmoker:

Stick to interval training, weights, and plyometrics. Running for hours is counterproductive.

I have the same type of addiction... and it is an addiction. It's just too much fun, but after a while it hits me physically (or my brain goes like meh!), and I take a couple of weeks break (or just a major scale back of things.)

I certainly know it's not the best thing to do, but I must enjoy what I'm doing, and that's the only way I get joy out of it (must be because I'm certifiably an obsessive compulsive type... I am :eusa_doh:)

A 40 hour work week of what you call exercise? :flipando:


Anyone else experienced this problem?

Is that your only question?

I had the same sort of problem with running. I've taken about a year off running and have been starting to get back into it again, but I still end up planning a 10k and then feeling like it's too easy.

I think the main thing is accepting that rest is just as important as training. It's hard though when running becomes more than just a run, for me it was like a type of meditation. Now I try to tell myself that doing things properly and not overdoing it will let me do more of what I enjoy. It's a bad trap to fall into when you feel like you need more if you're not totally exhausted after training, a lot of my sessions now I feel energised afterward rather than totally depleted. Maybe try just having one crazy session a week? Then you can look forward to it when you training normally and it will probably be beneficial rather than detrimental.

Does anyone else suffer from these. I go thru this wierd sort of cycle. I go way over board on training for a while, end up injuring myslf in various ways as a result and being out of training for a while. As soon as i can start back up I tend to do the same thing.

For a while there I waas training 35-40 hours a week as well as working full time. Kept this up for a long time then had tos top all together for 7 months as a result of torn ligaments with a side order of multiple stress fractures.
The cycle has repeated itself for years. Usually im out for a couple of months a year.
Its annoying as hell but i cant seem to stop doing it.

I just enjoy exercise too much. Sometimes when im trying to cut back I'll say "i'll just go for a short jog today and leave it at that". Next thing I know i've been running for 3 or 4 hours.

I know it sounds like a simple case of cut back, but i just dont seem to be able to do it.

Then when im out of action i end up jsut aout climbing the walls.

Anyone else experienced this problem?

Learn Self Discipline. End of story.

on a more serious note you should talk to pizdoff he knows all about overtraining

come on I was surprised someone else hadnt mentioned it :D

Stress fractures and torn ligaments sound like symptoms of something besides overtraining. If your getting stress fractures and torn ligaments your moving your body in a way it wasnt designed to move.

As for overtraining, train hard but infrequently. If you feel like crap its because your body is in the process of healing and adapting. Its no benefit to you to continue working out until youve healed/adapted.

Well I used to overtrain too but what got me to stop was doing full body workouts 3 times a week under an hour each time and just force yourself not to do anymore and you should notice way better results and it will convince you that more is NOT better.