How to tell if you're overtraining/under recovering?

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cozicup

New member
This past week I decided to start the Dry Fighting Weight remix from r/kettlebell. It's 6 days a week, 1 rest day. 3 days 30min of clean&press/front squats and 3 days of 200 swings + rows, I've been doing pushups and rows because I want to be able to do actual pushups sometime this year.

I managed to do Monday-Thursday fine. Wednesday I was SO excited because I did the 30 min C&P doing more of a push press with a 35lb kettlebell, and used double 35s for the front squats. But then yesterday I felt so meh, and when I went to try to go ahead and do the C&P day anyway I just couldn't do it. I couldn't clean the 35 lb bell at all, and even going to the only other option I have which is 20 lbs I just felt shitty and uncoordinated. I didn't even bother. I just felt weak and tired so I gave up.

I feel pretty bah today but I had a couple glasses of wine yesterday so it's probably that.

I work afternoons and have kids, so I pretty routinely get 4-5 hours of sleep, wake up to see them off to school because if I don't I go days without seeing them at all, and then go back to bed for another 2-3 hours. My sleep sucks. I also haven't been tracking my food because I felt so burnt out on that so I don't know if maybe I'm not getting enough protein. I am still having a protein shake most days get protein with every meal and my evening snack. When I was tracking I was aiming for 130g a day, it wasn't hard to at least get over 100g. I'm 5'4 and 163lbs, I was aiming to get to 140 eventually but I'm shit at calorie restriction. My target is supposed to be 2600 but not tracking I've probably gone back up to maintenance which is around 3100ish.

I'm not in my luteal phase, I should be feeling good. But I'm also only used to doing 4x a week. Maybe I need to work up to 6x a week? Or maybe my sleep schedule doesn't support that much training time? Maybe I'm not eating well enough either? There is rest in the 30min C&P days, you rest between sets for the 200 swings. It's about 30 min on the swing days as well, plus a warm up and some stretching afterwards.
 
@cozicup Yes, it is all about balance. You can’t work hard and not recover properly and expect your going to be ok. 7-8 hours of sleep it a good goal.

Also nutrition is very important. I can talk about nutrition forever. If you want to know more send me a dm.
 
@cozicup 4-5 hours of sleep sounds awful.

Sometimes I get random days where I’m not as strong as I usually am.

For me I felt I was overtraining when I was getting injured more, staying sore/stiff, feeling weak, tired, lightheaded, dizzy, not able to add weight.
 
@biblereader8 It is! I do have those random days too, but aside from injuring myself that's how I felt for a few days. Today I got back to it, and it went fine. And tomorrow I can rest.
 
@biblereader8 Got my blood work done, despite supplementing my iron is low again. Now it makes sense. How I've been feeling is how I feel when my iron is low, it just hasn't happened in awhile.
 
@biblereader8 I stopped using creatine because I felt like I couldn't stay hydrated enough, and I couldn't tell if it was even doung anything positive for me. I drink lots but I'm on medication that dries me out. I take iron and B12 foe deficiencies, but I'm due for blood work.
 
@cozicup Hot take but these kettlebell programs are designed to make you think youre “switching it up” for a fast paced “fun” approach. It’s a waste, you’d be better off training 3 times a week using progressive overload with a push, pull, legs approach. More rest = more muscle built. Heavier lifts= more muscle built. All you’re doing is stressing out your nervous system and burning calories you’ll consume again by bedtime.
 
@asmith2 Hi. Sorry to highjack but could you expand on push/pull/legs? I’ve heard a similar idea of push/pull/squat and I’ve been incorporating that into my workouts (push something heavy, pull something heavy, and squat on leg days). I’m very new to working out though so still learning and adjusting my routine (only 2-3 weeks in).
 
@asmith2 It feels fun! But you're right, doing this my appetite has gone through the roof. Prior to this I was doing dumbbell lifting, I do also have a barbell with a few plates for lower body lifts. I had made gains this way too, in the short time I've added kettlebells I've noticed a difference in my belly based on how clothes fit but I haven't measured.

I like both approaches so far as an enjoyment perspective, but my body definitely feels more stressed and hungry lately. Like I did 4 days in a row last week and by Friday could not clean the 35lb to save my life. Even doing it with my 20lb bell felt awkward and clumsy. I did nothing Friday and Saturday, I did let my kids have friends over/sleepover but I've been anxious af all weekend and wondering what the hell is wrong with me that I feel so over stimulated. I do have AuDHD but I generally don't feel like this because of it or my meds. Could I have stressed my nervous system enough to cause that?
 
@cozicup Totally, and I hope my original response didn’t make you feel like I was shitting on you. I think any activity is great activity but strictly speaking on lifting I think the kettlebell approach especially like Lauren Kanski’s ladder program is not designed for everyone.
Sounds like your body is just exhausted but I’d maybe consider getting blood work done to see if hormones are really off? Sounds extreme if you couldn’t clean a 35!
 
@asmith2 No worries I didn't get that vibe at all. But I know this week I need to pull back. A deload won't hurt, I haven't in awhile.

I've just spent all weekend feeling blah and wondering what the heck is going on with me to make me feel so tired. But it wasn't just last week, I think I've been going a little too hard for the past month and maybe last week was just the final straw. I'm due for yearly bloodwork and I take iron and b12 because I'm low otherwise so I can look into that, thyroid is usually checked too i think but Ive never had other hormone levels checked.
 
@cozicup Are you also trying to do as many as possible in that 30 minute time frame or do you give yourself 2-3 minutes of rest in between each set?

200 swings and rows is too much
 
@acts13 For the clean and press days it varies between ladders of 1 2 3, sets of 1, sets of 2, sets of 3. So basically max you're doing 3 and then resting as needed.

The swings I do sets of 20 and rest as needed. I don't time rest. It ends up being about a half an hour to do for me. I think the idea is reducing time as you get in better shape, and then going up in weight.

I don't time rest for anything I do anymore. I just rest until I've caught my breath and feel ready to go again. I forgot to track my reps the last clean and press day so I have no idea how many I got, but it was sets of 1. I'd do clean and press L and then R and then clean 2 bells and do 1 front squat.
 
@acts13 Fair. Part of why it was appealing for me is that while most of my goals are vague and I'm not entirely sure what I care about, I have 2 that I do really know I want.

To be able to do at least 1 proper from the floor pushup.

And to be able to manage to do 2 minutes of cpr with 2 minutes of rest for 30 minutes without being completely beat afterwards. This is because we had a code at work (I'm an LPN in ER) where I did a few rounds of cpr and it was during a night shift and not only was I struggling through it but afterwards I was so tired and I still had hours of my shift left. I figured kettlebell reps for time was a good way to condition myself for that kind of work.
 
@cozicup Bench press and seated chest press, cable chest flys along with shoulders and triceps plus whatever cardio you like a few times a week would be what I would do. You won’t feel as burnt out.
 
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