Balancing Practices and other Training?

[Curtis "Smash" Klashinsky]

This one is aimed at all you guys who have been armwrestling and training for a while.

Right now I'm finding that I'm still sore for quite a few days after our team practices but I know that for me to start getting competitive with guys like Tyrrell. W and Kade.R that I will need to be training harder than just 1 practice a week.

So, If you've looked at my Training log you can see that this week I did 2 training days at home and those have left my forearms, shoulder, back, biceps, Triceps, Fingers, and chest all feeling quite stiff yet.
Nothing hurts but the muscles are all stiff.

I know that with me just starting this extra training now that of course I'm going to be sore and it will take my body some time to adapt to the extra work.

Question is, do you guys think that I'm overtraining or am I doing it all right?

We usually have our practices on Fridays.
Our practices are usualy about 2.5 hrs long and they can get pretty intense.
Then I'm usually feeling not too sore by Tuesday. So I trained on Tuesday and Wednesday so that I could have at least all day thursday and all day Friday to recover and be ready for practice on Friday night.

Do you guys think this is Ok? Or whould I just be doing 1 day of training at home and the 1 day of Practice.

Your guys' feedback always helps me out.

Thanks guys.

[John Milne]

First of all, I bet you ARE training hard enough to be competetive. When it comes to the body - more training does not always = better results.

That being said, finding a balance between making good gains and overtraining is a thin line we all have to walk. For myself, I'd rather stay to the underside of overtraining. It does not bother me one bit to skip a day or two (even up to a week!!) if I'm feeling sore or tight, as I know that it is beneficial to do so. Smaller steady gains are better (in the long run) than making some gains.. getting overtrained leading to injury and starting over.

Have you tried lowering your intensity of your practices, or at least varying it? If you think of your table time the same way as your gym workouts it will be easier to visualize. In the gym the best gains are made if you change things up. Varying sets, reps, exercises and intensity is the way to go.

Try stringing together a couple of practices in a row where you dont pull at 100%. Instead work on long (possibly timed) sets where you aren't hitting, receiving a hit, or busting a nut. It's not unlike workouts where you lighten the load and go for full range, pump type workouts. We know that these are good for the body, even though you arent working near your 1RMaxes.

When was the last time you took 4 or 5 days off completely? It's good to do so.... and you wont lose a bit of strength.. you might even gain some (if you have been overtrained this will likely be the case). What is the worst thing that can happen if you take a week off???

I dont mean to discourage you Smash. Your enthusiasm is great and so is your drive. Just be mindful of the symptoms of overtraining and the effects. To be most productive and therefore make the best gains you have to stay just under that limit of being overtrained... and remember.. more does not always = better.

[Curtis "Smash" Klashinsky]

Thanks for replying John,
I was woried that nobody was going to.

Before this week where I started doing the exercises I posted in my training log, I always took a week off.
I would have practice on friday and not do any training until the following friday. So that would be a week off.
Just seemed like the good pullers where improving faster than myself, That's why I added the extra workouts at home.

No, I have not tried a lesser entensity Armwrestling practice because I'm just so pumped that it's time for another practice that I just want to go there and see how much I've improved....or lack there of, If you know what I mean.
I really should force myself to have a lighter practice, I think I would feel bad though, You know, I would feel like I'm not helping others by letting them go as hard as they can.

Thanks for the great post John.
Much appreciated buddy.

[devonlarratt]

I have allways believed in trainning every day for armwrestling. I have done this for many years now, and had continuous gains. I do take a day here and there when my life takes it from me, but for the most part i feel that consistancy is better than massive efforts when thinking about the long term. when thinking about tournaments this changes slightly where weeks ahead you start a taper - more intensity compromising volume, with days off at the end. I have found these things work for me. Also sharp pain is never good, but soreness can be missleading.

[Curtis "Smash" Klashinsky]

Thanks for replying Devon. I'm Honored.

Everyday training for armwrestling, That's something I haven't heard yet.
It's obviously working for you though.
I know different people's body's react and recover differently too.
I'm amazed that your muscles still manage to recover from day after day training.
You must eat lots of quality meals to help out with that.

[John Milne]

I'm not convinced that he isn't a robot Smash. Or some kind of terminator sent from the future.

[Curtis "Smash" Klashinsky]

johnmilne said:

I'm not convinced that he isn't a robot Smash. Or some kind of terminator sent from the future.

Ha ha ha,
That, I would believe.

[Brian Gabriel]

Curtis, i find that the day after practice i am really sore but buy dooing a really light workout it gets the blood pumping and loosens up my muscels and by the second day i am ready to go again. I believe this is because it flushes the muscel of the toxins that were produced from all the hard pulling, may be this will work for you too.

[Curtis "Smash" Klashinsky]

Thanks Gabriel.

I Will give that a shot after my next workout.

[Mr. Espey]

Do you ice after practice Smash?