Overtraining for older guys?

I've gotten older, it's not that bad but training seems to have gotten a bit more difficult.

I'm wondering if I need to change up my routine or if I'm simply overtraining.

Take a look at my schedule and let me know what you think.

Sun - archery for 2-3 hours

Monday - 30 minutes cardio, 90 minutes climbing 5-7 routes 5.9 to 10c

Tuesday - Power yoga, 60 min

Wednesday - 30 minutes cardio, 90 minutes climbing 5-7 routes 5.9 to 10c

Thursday - Power yoga, 60 min

Friday - 30 minutes cardio, 90 minutes climbing 5-7 routes 5.9 to 10c

Saturday - Rest or 3 to 4 hours of hiking

I am 43, and also do yoga, but I use it for recovery. If you want to increase your climbing grades, i would say drop the 'power yoga' and put that effort towards 'power climbing' aka boulder problems.

Depends on "old" I guess. I'm 54 and have had some health issues so it's very slow going...4 days of anything a week is my limit.

personally, I would make one day a week a nothing day..except maybe some stretching

I'm not that old, just 35. I am a diabetic so that can affect my recovery period.

I should have specified that this phase of climbing is nothing more than the base phase. Next will be working on strength / power with bouldering and harder routes. After that will be endurance with arc training and longer routes.

My main question is if I'm overdoing it with cardio, climbing, yoga, and archery.

Russ Walling wrote:Not to be a dick or anything, but I'm not really seeing ANY training. Depending on what your goals are with training, I would bump it way up to get any results. What you are doing is at best a maintenance routine. Edit: how much of an "older guy" are you???

What would you bump it up to then?

It is not clear to me why this relatively lower level of work would be working you (at only 35). How is your sleep and nutrition? Day job stress, etc?

Doesn't look like you're over training to me. I'm 45 and exercise 5 times a week (2×climb, 2×run 4 miles, 1×lift weights). The rule of thumb I've always heard is to not hit the same muscle groups too hard two days in a row, and take one day of rest each week. Depending on how strenuous your hiking is, it sounds like you're fine.

I was thinking that this exercise routine (it's not really climbing training) wasn't too much but I wanted other opinions. Personally I find this level of activity moderately challenging and a good workout.

In answer SMR's question; I am under a great deal of stress every day. I'm an insulin dependent diabetic who has to has to monitor everything I eat and do in order to keep blood sugars under control. I don't want to give a big explanation but the short version is that as with all type 1 diabetics your body recovers slower, utilizes food differently, and generally has a weakened immune system.

Also I'm a big guy, 6'-2", 250 pounds, around 15% body fat. I'm not built for climbing but I enjoy doing is to what the hell. ;)

SMR wrote:It is not clear to me why this relatively lower level of work would be working you (at only 35). How is your sleep and nutrition? Day job stress, etc?

See my post above SMR.

Just a question, how old are you and what's your weekly exercise routine? I'd like to get an idea of what others are doing, thanks!

I am 44 and really healthy. I work full-time (desk job)with some stress. I am able to dial in nutrition and sleep 8-9 hours.

I have variability in my schedule based on goals and season, and I use periodization, so some weeks are more work, other weeks are less work.
In general, I do something 6x/week. I climb 4x week (inside and outside), lift weights 2x, cardio 2x (run/hike 3-4 miles), and add in Pilates/stretching and mobility 3-4x week. Friday is usually my rest day and may include walking the dog.

In response to your question below- climb/lift on Tues/Thursday. Cardio/pilates- Mon/Wed.

So you're doing climbing and pilates on the same day with running and lifting on the other days?

I was wondering the same type thing..would adding other things screw up your sugars ?? Could you do maybe 2 big days a week and then several lighter ones ??
Swimming is a big one for me.
Just wondering

Oh I'm going to be increasing my activity as time goes on. Right now this is just the base / start.

Needless to say I've never really 'trained' much for climbing, simply climbed. I've read the Horst and SCC books without much success. It's odd but what I'd love is to have someone set a regimented overall training schedule that I could follow; I know that's not going to happen though. :P

What are your goals? Instead of increasing volume (work hours), maybe increasing intensity would be more important.

Thanks for the advice!

Goals:

1. Reduce body weight
2. Increase endurance
3. Increase strength

Pretty basic goals. Number one is not hard to figure out the how, it's the doing that's tough. The other two, any ideas?

1. It is slow day at work. I don't even want to approach the losing weight goal. I have a rudimentary understanding of diabetes, but not enough to make any recommendations.
2. I think increasing strength should be higher on your list at number 2. As we age, strength and power decrease and it is important to maintain/build this.
3. I think it gets hard to have opposing goals at the same time. Pick strength and focus on that first. What are some specific things you want to get stronger at? Do you have a redpoint project in mind that you want to? Do you want to deadlift 2x your bodyweight?
PM me if you want.

JLP wrote: Fix this first. Diet and cardio 101. I hear being alive is better for your climbing than being dead - especially at a young age. Come back and ask us about training after dropping at least 50, waste of thought until then.

Actually I'm in great health. I'm not fat, eat properly, have low BP, great cholesterol, and have no complications due to my being diabetic for 25 years.

I could get down to 220 pounds but I'd be below 10% body fat at that point and it's not realistic.

EDIT:

Looks like JLP got the boot from the site.

Chad Miller wrote:I was thinking that this exercise routine (it's not really climbing training) wasn't too much but I wanted other opinions. Personally I find this level of activity moderately challenging and a good workout. In answer SMR's question; I am under a great deal of stress every day. I'm an insulin dependent diabetic who has to has to monitor everything I eat and do in order to keep blood sugars under control. I don't want to give a big explanation but the short version is that as with all type 1 diabetics your body recovers slower, utilizes food differently, and generally has a weakened immune system. Also I'm a big guy, 6'-2", 250 pounds, around 15% body fat. I'm not built for climbing but I enjoy doing is to what the hell. ;)

whoo twins. I'm type 1 as well. I have kept my A1C really low (below 6.0) and I feel like my recovery is great. I also think that if you can get your weight down a bit, climbing's far less difficult to recover from. (Went from 190 > <170). I'm also 25 and only 5'11 so YMMV

I alternate cardio(running) and upper body six days a week, take sunday off to recover.

you might as well get used to the idea that the older you get the more effort it takes to maintain a decent level of fitness.

JLP wrote: You are not 15% body fat. You are nowhere close to 15%. I deleted my post as I think your questions are a waste of time.

Yup I'm overweight for climbing but have you met me in person? If you're just going off the old photos on here then you're incorrect.

I stated that I'm around 15% body fat, that's according to the electronic measuring done by the scale I have it says I'm 15%. Level of hydration can affect the accuracy to plus or minus 10%. Thus I've taken the readings at the same time of day with roughly the same level of hydration. It's not an exact number but no one here does water displacement testing.

Finally the lowest I've weighed since the age of 23 was 210 pounds and at that point my body fat was so low my doctor was concerned due to the heavy work I was doing in concrete construction.

Double post.