IME heavy gym workouts 5/6 days a week is too much. Muscle recovery is just as important as muscle building. When I was a D1 athlete, during offseason we hit heavy weights no more than 4 days a week. Monday, Tuesday, rest Wednesday, then lift again Thursday and Friday. Rest over the weekend, rinse and repeat. That seemed an optimal regimen for max muscle gain with minimal burnout or injury.
Also, don't ever workout the same muscle/body part two days in a row for said recovery to be most beneficial. On Mondays we worked upper body pushing exercises, high weight/low rep (bench press, chest butterflies, military shoulder press, tricep extension workouts like dips and skull crushers, etc). Tuesday was upper body pulling exercises, high weight/low rep (upper back like pullups and pull downs, bicep curls, upright or seated rows for lats, etc). I think on Thursdays we worked lower body pushing exercises like squats, leg press, quad extensions, etc) plus some more upper body pushing exercises but low weight/high rep. Then Friday, lower body pulling exercises like hamstring curls, lunges, etc) and some upper body pulling exercises low weight/high rep. It's been over 20 years since I lifted a single weight but I seem to recall that this was our workout for maximum gainz.
If 4 days is too often, you can also consolidate some to make it a three day per week regimen. Important thing is allowing each muscle group to rest and recover before working it out again. See my post below:
I have to somehow get in shape while being lazy. No gym.
Very simple What directions, or where should I head to learn to get in shape? I read stuff, I watch you tube, I print up work out routines but just walking doesn't show results so I'm thinking I got two five pounds weights and I'm very weak mucle my skeleton muscle is near below normal. So I'm...bluelight.org
I used to train like that (minus the cardio: Push - Pull - Rest - Push - Pull - Rest etc..) when I was on benzos, it was time consuming and maybe a bit too much but in the end I tolerated it well enough with some breaks here and there. What's killing me is that now that I had all time in the world (until I start my new job on monday) I haven't really been able to train and my overall performance and physique is in decline.
Plus the last few days kinda confirmed that my insomnia is indeed related to exercise, I rested for about a week, no early awakening. Felt rested so I decided to train, woke at 5.30. Rested again 4-5 days. no insomnia. Workout again -> Awake at 5.30. Yesterday I decided to try some sprint training as I remember it being the one thing that left me destroyed the next day. Again, awake at 5.30.
Not sure if I just need to stop completely for a while and rest completely or what. I doubt I was in full blown overtraining, maybe I'm just stressed out and that doesn't mix well with heavy exercise? I should just do some light cardio until I feel a bit more calm?
Low impact cardio (Cycling) seems is still enjoyable and has no impact on sleep fortunately (possibly even makes it better).
Or maybe these last few days have been a total coincidence and i'm obsessing over something that is no use to me except from demotivating me from working out. Very possible right now sadly.
On a similar note about obsessions, I have been avoiding alcohol for a while, especially after finishing the taper. I know it probably isn't good for recovery but after 4 months I should be able to drink a bit without going to crazy, right? I hate always being the guy who doesn't drink, especially considering my past. In the past 4 months I drank occasionally but very small amounts (about one standard drink, except one time when I drank 3) and once every 1 or 2 weeks. The next day I always felt fine, but inevitably in the next few days I got some anxiety / insomnia that part of me attributes to the alcohol, even if rationally I think they would have been there even if hadn't drunk anything.
Yes, seems like that could be a good Idea to try before a switch to a SSRI, for sure I'll try to start my new job as I am now and see how it goes, then try 30 mg mirtazapine if I'm still uncomfortable. Did you notice the effects of the higher dose right away or does it take some time?
If even that doesn't work maybe I'll try removing it and staying completely sober. After all removing the trazodone made me feel much better, maybe it could be the same for mirtazapine? Doubt it would be the same though as I have been taking it for too much time to be able to remove it so easily.
