Why I have to avoid Overtraining?

Most people who begin working out with weights head to the gym wanting to lift everything they see. The truth is, avoiding overtraining is one of the hardest things for a lifter to do. Overtraining will completely stop your muscle growth, as well as make you feel horrible.

Steps

1. Reduce your time in the gym. When building muscle, more is NOT better. Muscles need time to rest and recover before they will grow for you. 3 or 4 days a week is the most you ever need to be at the gym, with an hour tops each time.
2. Give your muscles plenty of rest. Your muscles need time to heal in between workouts - the average person needs a week in between workouts before the muscles have recovered enough for another workout.
3. Get plenty of rest yourself. A full night's sleep of 8-9 hours is needed for your muscles to maximize their recovering efforts.
4. Start eating more. The more you eat, the more nutrients your body has to give your muscles, and the faster your muscles can recover.
   

Tips

1. Stretch only after a workout or when you go to sleep or wake up. Stretching before a workout neurally turns your muscles off and can cause injury; so, only stretch afterwards.
2. Work out every muscle group once to twice per week.
3. Change up your routine. Changing your routine every few weeks will keep your muscles sharp and stimulated. The idea is progression. It keeps results happening. If you don't progress, your body becomes accustomed to what it's doing and no longer yields results.
4. Eating a balanced amount of macronutrients(carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) is essential. Know what you eat and how much. Also, the real thing is always better than supplements.
5. If you get overtrained take a break from working out!
6. Don't work out when you are sick. If your body is busy fighting off a cold, it can't devote itself to recovering your muscles!