We just began our team’s Summer Training Program last Wednesday, I workout for 3-4 hours a day consisting of lifting, running, and 7 on 7/route running. The lifting is 4 consecutive days a week, all full body with Olympic lift variations, heavy powerlift movements, some dynamic work and accessory work. We have already had a few very intense lifting sessions consisting of 12x3@80% on both bench and squat. The running is very demanding with speed on Monday and Thursday and overdistance on Tuesday and Friday. Wednesday is a sand pit/ agility day. After this we run routes or play 7 on 7. The sheer volume of the running along with the routes in the mid-day Texas heat burns a tremendous amount of calories. I was expecting to have lost 3-4 pounds by now but instead I have gone from 203 to 207 lbs and appear just as lean if not leaner. I attribute this to the high load of the weight program(mainly the 12x3 workouts) causing the body to adapt. However, I play receiver and put a premium on my ability to run past people, which is why any rapid weight gain is alarming to me. I understand that more muscle can help as long as it is functional to making me run faster, but at what point does even functional weight gain start to cause you to slow down. I figure the extra mass may help with acceleration ability, but thats about it. Should I worry about gaining anymore weight? Keep in mind that this is not even the intended goal of the training. By the way I am 6’2.5 and 7.5%BF
well…with that volume of running…You didn’t expect to gain…but 12sets of 3 reps, for some basci exercises…make you grow, is intended to do so…Don’t want to gain muscle?I don’t think 4 pounds is aproblem…however, restricting a bit on supplements can be an idea (if you use protein or creatine) otherwise, cut some calories:beware, this would impair your recovery and performance…so I suggest you to continue like now, or reduce weight volume
overtraining makes you slower
I’m not too worried about the 4 lbs, however I am worried that I could continue to add weight at this rate. As far as the overtraining goes, I do my best to recover with the means I have access to such as foam rollers, cold tub, and stretching. With the running, I have been treating the overdistance work like tempo runs not going over 70%. Unfortunately, since most of my time is spent recovering, I can’t really have a “true” speed day on a track with full recoveries. But I guess it could be worse, at least its not a HIT program.
overtraining being a personal thing, he didnt say he was being overtrained or that he felt that way did he? if not then we cant assume hes overtraining and going to expereince a maladaptation. or atleast he hasnt overtrained yet. besides those volumes wont be maintained indefinatly he is playing a team sport.
the gain is probably becasue of the initial shock of the program. i doubt you will continue to gain weight at that rate.
Acceleration IS what you want in football. The extra mass will be useful to you. The weights you are doing are the reason for the increased mass (hypertrophy training). Once your coach switches the objective of the weights your bodyweight should stabilise.
I agree. Do you weigh yourself consistently? I can go up and down 5 pounds in an hour depending on when I weigh myself. If you just started a week ago, then it isn’t muscle that you gained. I woudlnt’ worry about it. Drink lots of water, and don’t worry about weight you gain from water. Things will balance out in a couple weeks.
12x3 @ 80% is quite a volume of lifting. That’s more than double the optimal rep total on Prilipin’s chart and is approaching two times the volume of say, a “bodybuilding” 3x8 @ 65%. So, this could probably lead to hypertrophy given the volume but, 4 pounds in one week is doubtful.
As Herb said, your weight could be up from say fluid intake, using a different scale, weighing yourself after a meal, etc. All these combined at one extreme or the other can create quite a fluctuation.
Don’t worry about the actual weight number anyways. If performance on the field improves, keep doing what you are doing. If not, then look at what you are doing, and make a few changes.
In any case, if you are still worried, if you went to a Scout Camp Pro Football Regional Combine, as a WR, you would be top 10% in height, and top 20% in weight ( http://www.combines.com/combine_info/percentile.asp ).
So, to look good on paper at least, you could afford to gain a few more pounds, but performance is your main indicator.
Ya I do weigh myself daily on the same scale at the facility and it has been a consistent 4 lbs., the next few weeks we are going to go heavier but reduce the volume so I figure it will all balance out just as you guys have said. Heres a quick question to think about though: When playing football it may be more beneficial to carry more muscle weight as it helps with acceleration (i.e up to 40-60 yards), even though “track speed”(60-100) would be slower with the added weight?
more weight wont neccsarilly make you run accelerate faster in fact in can be a detrimant as the initial impule reguired to move a mass chages not linearly but exponentially when mass in increased. no of course this has to be taken on a case by case basis but the basic principal of big engine in a little car is better than big engine in a small car hold true. but dont let this fear you only be concerned if speed is actually effected if it doesnt then ppl can start calling you the freight train.
Overtraining (inhibitory syndrome kind of) makes you fatter too!
Shifting gears…I would like to add in another speed day if possible, probably on the weekend. But with the accumulated volume from the week, would it be wiser to spend that time with recovery measures?
If I were you, I would use the weekend for recovery unless you really feel like you want to do speed work.
Ya I think your probably right, even though our speed day isn’t truly what it could be. This past week we did 6x20, 4x30, 4x80. The rest between reps and sets was minimal though, so it basically turns into windsprints.
I agree, 2 days of “speed” work right now is suffice considering the 3-4 hour workouts you do, putting another day of speed work in your program may end up doing more harm then good in terms of overtraining, remember that you are also getting some speed work in during your sport specific work such as during your pattern work and 7 on 7 work.