Burnout!

[TMcKee]

I have been in the gym, being a good guy, for 5 days a week for several weeks now. I feel like im getting burned out. At one period in these weeks, I missed a day or two. I don't swim every day like I used to (I only swim two days a week now) but I am focusing on cardio work and tone. Any suggestions on how to continue working out 4 to 5 days per week and not get burned out? I have switched up exercises and about 15 to 20 minutes into my running, I start apnea running...a very difficult endeavor if I do say so!


Thanks!

 

[M-2]

Sounds like you're on the right track. Just got to keep things fresh. Change things around once in a while. Do different exercises, change your workout time, maybe go to a different gym, listen to music, change between the type of workout (cardio/strength training/stretching). That's about all you can do.
If you've been doing long cardio stuff, try doing sprints for a change. Another good one is doing stations. Skip rope then, go do crunches, then go do plyometrics. There are all kinds of things you can do at 30 second intervals that will really work you for both cardio and toning/strength.

If you've got generally good fitness, you'll be surprised how quickly your body can learn new movements and techniques.
I know this suggestion isn't rocket science, but they're are always ways to change things around and shake things up.

-Mike

 

[hydro]

Monitor HR

Hi TMcKee,
It sounds like you're doing some intense training. Do you check where your HR goes when exercising? For sustained training periods it is good to stay around 75-85% of your max HR (220 - age in years).
Another piece of advice that has proved very helpful for me was to focus on the results. Check how your performance goes in whatever you train for.
I remember Eric F saying that training smart is more effective than training simply hard. Couldn't agree more.

Enjoy your training
Hydro, NY

 

[Pezman]

Possibly over-training?

Tim,

Your trining schedule sounds a little brutal. Intense training damages skeletal muscle and as a result causes myoglobin to leak from the muscle cells, so I would expect over-training to be particularly detrimental to apnea performance.

I mostly do resistance training (and as a result, I have a decent dynamic and pitiful static). At any rate, I have found that giving myself 2 days between weight-training sessions gives me the best results. If I train more often than that, I seem to lose muscle mass (training every day) or work harder w/ little additional benefit (1-day between session).

I have also recently discovered that my apnea times 2 days post-workout are significantly better than 1 day post-workout.

 

[efattah]

Any kind of apnea-cardio (i.e. apnea stairmaster, apnea running), is extremely stressful on the body, and should be done a maximum of 2 days per week with at least 2 days rest in between.

Make sure you get 9 solid hours of sleep per night (of actual sleep), eat lots of raw fruits & veggies, take extra vitamin C & E, and maybe try two workout days, a day off, and then two workout days. Failing that, try monday-wednesday-friday. Or, if you are seriously over trained, a whole week off will do wonders.

My opinion...

Eric Fattah
BC, Canada

 

[TMcKee]

I am not seeing any effects in my static/dynamic. I have a good static 4+ min, and a 50m dynamic, but I bet I could push it to 70 or so. I AM getting burned out a bit. I do switch it up but weight training (although its light weight) is a necessity. Look around, we've all seen fat runners.

I might cut back on it a bit...possibly to three days per week only. I will spend more time in the gym though. Weight training, running, swimming....

Should you run and swim in the same day? I do about 20 minutes of surface swimming with fins, then breathe for a little bit, then I usually do what we call 30/30.

30 seconds dynamic, 30 seconds breathing. 30 seconds dynamic is about 25meters (if I take my time).

Thanks for all of the replies. My goal is to be doing 5+ minute statics by the end of the year.

Tim

 

[efattah]

Keep in mind that maximum performances only come after you stop training. Your metabolism needs time to slow down. This is why many top divers use different phases in their training; typically a hard training routine on dry land, which is then completely stopped, followed by wet/dry statics, dynamics and diving, many days per week, leading up to a competition or record.


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada

 

[Jason Billows]

You may want to check out www.hussman.org

Dr. Hussman goes into detail about what he feels to be the optimum way to train for overall health and backs it up with research.

One of the key points is to ensure you're getting enough of the right foods and plenty of sleep as Eric mentioned. It's especially important if you're putting your body through intense workouts.

Hussman says that you should eat more frequent, yet smaller meals throughout the day for optimal bodily function and weight management. This isn't anything new, but keep in mind that this type of eating works in part because it raises and maintains your metabolism at an elevated rate, which wouldn't be ideal for apnea.

Hope the link helps.

Jason Billows
Ottawa, Canada

 

[Ossi]

Five training sessions per week does not sound like too much if you eat and sleep well. One problem might be that what you call cardio training is more like interval training. Some 20 minutes of swimming or running is only a warm-up.

Endurance training should last for a minimum of 45 minutes to work the cardiovascular system and to get your metabolism working in long-distance mode. Up to two hours is recommendable. After that one usually runs out of carbs and either bonks or has to reduce effort substantially

It is rather difficult and sometimes frustrating to train for endurance and speed/power simultaneously; the endurance training tends to reduce muscle mass and lower growth-related hormone levels and heavy weight training often tenses you up so much that it causes problems for technique and recovery in endurance training.

It might be a good idea to divide your training into a couple of distinct regimes, i.e. go easy on lifting in a cardio period and then reduce running/swimming during a weigh training period.

ossi

 

[gerard]

Training 5 days per week anaerobically

is suicide unless you are "on the juice". Just take it easy. Remember that you are trying to recover not only the musculoskeletal system but also the CNS.

The more advanced you become anaerobically speaking, the more recovery you need.

Sleep well: 7-8 h minimum.

Increase your kilojoule intake. Here you must check your personal metabolic rate and subsequently apply what is needed. Distribute those Kj throughout the day: 5-6 small but nutritious meals.

If overtrained cut-off everything (even brisk walking, no exercise at all) for a week or two, depending of your overtraining level. In case of doubt you should opt for two weeks.

Remember that apnea also involves the use of the anaerobic energy systems, and if in top of that you are doing resistance training you'll overtrain very, very quickly.

My recommendation is to train once a week maximum. Again depending of your conditioning level. Just play with the rule of "trial and error".

Good luck, gerard.

 

[TMcKee]

well, aside from apnea, I am trying to drop some kilos, and I am seeing a great difference. I can cheat and have a slice or two of pizza and my belly won't jiggle for a week afterwards. Thanks for the advice on breaking my workouts up into distinct phases, I will try that. The problem is that I HAVE to swim. I cannot drop this apnea thing just cause I am picking up weights. I feel that if I let it go, then I won't be able to get it back. I started at nothing and here I am at 4+ minutes. Its because i've swam three to four days a week, and practiced statics three to four days a week, along with running, swimming, and weight training. Kind of a scary feeling...to just swim less? I don't know if I can do it.

Thanks for the advice, all of you!

Tim

 

[rigdvr]

Tim, the best way to get hyped again is to go diving! Should have been out with Marcel and myself this past Friday...it was unbelievable! Im good to train until I get my next "fix" which hopefully wont be too far away

 

[TMcKee]

I heard you shot a 40# wahoo and you weren't even under the water! I also saw Marcels pic of his 80-90# wahoo! He said that you were a good diver. I usually can't get a day off during the week, and this year, my vacation time will be spent moving into a house. If I go, it will have to be on a weekend.

Tim

 

[rigdvr]

It really was too sweet... You have any plans to start hunting or what? Nothing wrong with pure freediving either, just a question. However you are blessed enough to live in one of the best spearing areas in the world...rigs and bluewater What about photography?

I guess what I am getting at is you wouldnt be bad off to expand interest. Even the numbers guys have specific goals and reasons for training such as a WR attemp or contest or whatever. It would be very hard for me to stay motivated without a goal. Right now I need to stay in decent shape for these last minute lump runs and KK03 in April... Now I gotta get my firt YF tuna and a hooter bigger than Marcel

 

[TMcKee]

I want to at least try spearing but I dont want my first trip out to be 10 feet for 15 seconds. (I know it won't be like that). I do want to try and see if I like it. I talked to Marcel about that. Its really the reason I won't invest in a gun. What if I don't like it? Anyway, just being in the water is good enough for me.

 

[rigdvr]

thats why I included photography. The amount of life out there is mind boggling! As far as the speargun thing goes, I am sure Marcel or myself might have something laying around for you to shoot

And if hunting is not for you, there is no rule against just diving to visit with the oceans wonders...as much as you love the sport already, I cant wait for you to see what its really all about

 

[TMcKee]

Yeah, I've put in requests with my ex-boss that if they go out on a job on the weekend in the gulf, invite me. Hell yeah id go just to get in the blue, blue (sometimes) water of the gulf. Right on.

Marcel does have a gun that I can use, but theres this other diver named Ken Short who dives in Lake Pontchartrain (ponch-a-train) which is on average, about 12' deep. He hunts sheephead and he has popped a Bull Shark or so he claims. The bull sharks that have come up into the lake are quite bold. Anyway, ken offered for me to go diving with them also. So I have plenty of opportunity to do this, I just don't have time.