Whether you are a complete novice to exercise and just starting the progressions for my 4 Minute Mornings or a lifelong exerciser, the following is some common sense advice.
Too much too soon can lead to injury. Follow the less is more principle, but, be consistent. Listen to your body not your ego. The ego and adrenaline coursing through your body are very powerful.
There is no amount of pushing or forcing in one day that is going to make more of a change than what being consistent can. Learn the difference between working hard in a good way and working hard in a bad way causing injury. Do not be a bully to your body.
Be compassionate.
No matter your level of fitness, please remember that when adding new exercises, you should not go from ‘zero to sixty’, in one day, a week or even a month. Make gradual progressions. Take a rest day when you need it. Listen to your body.
Hi, I just recently stumbled onto your website from BodyRockTV. I’m a 16 year old boy and I’ve been training consistently using BodyRock workouts for a week. I’ve been really active for about two years but I still find BodyRock challenging. I was just wondering your take on if I’m overtraining:
I train everyday, switching from interval training (like tabata for 12 minutes) to time challenges (like 500 reps as quick as possible). I switch from these different types of training each day but I always find that after one workout I still have enough energy left to do the same workout again, so I do it again, and then later in the day I find myself doing one of BodyRock’s exercise challenges (like 300 switch lunges). The problem I’m having is uncomfortable muscular soreness. It’s not really painful, but it exaggerates the “burn” feeling during my workouts and I feel like my performance suffers because of it. I feel soreness in every muscle that I exercise after a workout but after sleeping my muscles recover. All of them except my quadriceps. Can you please give me suggestion on what I should do? I already sleep as much as need (I don’t have school these two weeks). Should I maybe incorporate some special foods into my diet? Or will stretching help? Please help.
Great website by the way 🙂
Hi David,
At 16, if you are already figuring this out for yourself, you certainly will be one to watch!
Not sure if you came across this post yet: http://youasamachine.com/2012/01/21/warning-hiit-is-highly-addictive/
It may answer some of your questions. I think you are also answering your own question, just by raising these possibilities. You are pretty certain you are overtraining but want to hear it from someone else. Start to refine listening to your instincts, they are right but our ego/ brain has the tendency to override the truth.
As an experiment, consider trying to only do one HIIT workout per day. I’m much older than you and have put my body through a lot over the years so I do a different sport on alternate days, but your body could probably handle HIIT more often. But remember that HIIT is not endurance training – it is meant to be short and therein lies its effectiveness. But do try to cross train. Mix it up, throw in some off-road bike rides or some runs, games of football/basketball, martial arts, swimming etc,; whatever your sport interests are. The HIIT training should show its merit in the activities you do. The beauty with this kind of training is that it takes so little time but you get over the top results! Which at your age should give you so much more time to focus on studying and researching to expand your knowledge base. To be healthy, fit and have the body of an Adonis with a mind to match is quite the combination.
And YES, stretching is paramount! Learn some basic Yoga routines.
Eating well is your foundation, but NO Thing is a cure-all. Strive for balance. Be consistent with moderation.
Let me know what you end up doing.
Thanks for your comment!