Doing too much?!

I started my new training plan a few weeks ago and it has been working pretty well for me. I have been motivated to make it to the gym every time I'm 'scheduled' to, and have been seeing some progression in running and swimming.

And then there was this week. I feel like I can't sleep enough. It doesn't help that on top of my training plan I've had an insane week at work (and will have another, next week) with no chance to catch up on sleep. On good days I've got a 1/2 hour commute and have to be in at 6:30 for things (don't even ask about commute time on bad days...)

Yesterday I bagged an entire night of working out. The day before, I skipped a spin class in the a.m. because I just couldn't roll myself out of bed.

I'm wondering if it's because I'm doing too much? I sometimes feels that I only have two ways of working out... by doing everything, or by doing nothing. When I need to cut back, I don't know which sacrifices to make or which workouts to cut.

My usual workout plan involves swim class on Monday night, running/core at the regular gym and strength training at the rock gym on Tuesday, spin class before work and swim class at night on wednesday, repeats of tuesday on thursday, and friday is my day for socializing. Saturday and Sunday have been running and/or cycling days for me.

This gives me maybe one day off, and usually it is a late night because I will hang out with my friends or go to a party, then have to get up early to run the next day...

Which has been working fine, but this week I feel like I have been dragging butt all week. At times it has felt like I have ten pound weights attached to my legs and I just...can't...move them any faster.

I'm pretty sure this will go away (hopefully after this weekend when I get a chance to catch up on my sleep)... but was wondering what you guys do when you just get to a point where you need a break. Do you cut out on everything and TRULY rest or do you just cut back... and how do you decide what gets cut?

K.

I've been struggling now and then with this, too. How much is enough and how much is too much?

Are you taking rest weeks, or are you always increasing your intensity? You should be taking an easier week every 3 weeks.

You probably should plan to take a rest week next week where you cut the time and intensity of your exercise by 25%. It can be VERY hard to cut back, but you'll feel so much better if you do so.

Here's what I've come up with.

I marked out my training blocks in four-week periods using Excel.

So ....

The first week would be what you've already been doing or what you did the week before your rest week (week 3). The next two weeks you can increase your time OR your intensity (but not both) by 5 to 10% per week. The rest week will be 25% of what you did in week 3. The next week 1 will be equal to or 5% less than what you did in week 1.

Of course, if you're not feeling strong, then rest! Train by how you feel, but in this way you'll be putting some limits on your training and helping to ensure you don't get injured.

So, for illustration purposes:

week 1: 60 minute bike
week 2: 63-66 minute bike
week 3: 69-72 minute bike
rest: 52-54 minute bike
week 1: 66-72 minute bike (depending what you actually did week 3)
etc.

Does that help?

I must preface my response with this thought... I am the queen of overtraining....I am only getting wiser because I am running out of places to have " an itis" If there is a joint, I have had tendonitis in it, along with a SLAP tear in my shoulder from climing too much at the gym.

SOOOOO,
My rule of thumb is, if I have to ask the question...Am I doing too much? The answer is YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ruth....

rest is important in training...live long and prosper