Good for you, you obviously are trying to get yourself in shape. If you're not spending hours in the gym doing intense weight lifting, then it's probably true that you're not going to get the results you want and you'll need to step up. However, there is one caution you're going to have to take note of, you've got to avoid overtraining.



If you work too hard without giving your body time to rest and recuperate between weightlifting sessions, you will get what is called overtraining.

It is essential to realize that when you build up muscle through exercise, it is actually breaking down this same muscle. You're not building the muscle in the gym, really. Instead, what you're doing is breaking down muscle in the gym and producing tiny injuries in the muscle then must heal and repair. When these injuries heal and repair, they heal and repair stronger than they were previously. In order to build muscle, you first need to break it down. Once you break down your muscle you need to let your body rest and the muscle repair. In doing this you will find that this is they way you actually build muscle.

When you overtraining, you're not giving your body the rest it needs in between workouts to properly build and repair. What this means is that you're actually preventing muscle from building. Worse than that, though, you're actually hurting yourself in a number of other ways, too. Look for these symptoms to see whether or not you're overtraining. If you are, you can take steps to improve this and get back on the muscle building track.

First of all, when you are overtraining, you will be working really hard, but you won't be building much if any muscle. That's the first thing you'll probably notice. If you keep going with overtraining, though, you're probably going to notice other symptoms, too.

Your testosterone levels will go down if you don't let yourself recover between your workout sessions.

As counterintuitive as that sounds, you might get fatter. You might gain weight you don't want to, in the form of fat. That's because if you keep overtraining, not only will you be breaking down muscle without building it back up, and muscle burns fat, but you also increase your levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that makes your body want to retain fat, especially in the area around your stomach.

By overdoing it you are actually doing yourself harm as you weaken your immune system. This is because it is trying to deal with the fact that your body has constant inflammation from muscles that are damaged and sore. So if you find yourself getting colds and flu more easily, slow down. A good workout will help fight off colds and flue, not get them more.

Last but not least, this needs to be repeated, that when you overtrain, you will actually lose muscle, not gain it. As this is precisely what you wish to avoid, what you need is a solid bodybuilding routine that will help you develop the muscle you want without the unfortunate symptoms.

The best pattern for bodybuilding is to follow one day of intense weightlifting by one day of resting. You should be giving yourself a day of in between when you are doing heavy lifting three to four days a week. While giving your muscles a break from heavy lifting is important on your rest days, it is advised that you include some light cardio. They need time to recover and to repair. This is what going to help you bulk up in a good way, with muscle.

Your body can't rebuild itself, even if you're resting, unless it's got the tools do so. That means that nutrition is just as important as rest is. Now, don't pile on the potato chips or other junk food, opt for good, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Good, nutritious calories that will fill you up and give your body the means to repair itself in between workouts. If you do this, you should see results in no time, and you should feel much better, too.