Pounce Online

Issue date: 3/27/08 Section: Arts and Entertainment

The ellipticals are very popular at the student recreational center. (Noah Gent/ Pounce Online)

Click here for a podcast with a body builder on how to maintain a healthy body. (Joe Buglio/Pounce Online)

Spring has arrived and students all across campus are hitting the gym. People are gearing up for the beaches, but are some students exercising too much?

Excessive training in the gym can lead to over-exercising, which does not do your body any good.

It is common for someone to push their body to the limits to achieve their fitness goals quickly.

So, what happens to your body when you over-exercise?

Dawn Wilcox, a Nutrition Educator at Eastern's Health Education Resource Center, says that when a person over-exercise their muscles are in a way bleeding. This causes them to be overly sore and can increase the chances of sustaining an injury.

According to the International Sports Science Association, www.bodybuilding.com, to prevent overtraining in the gym "always try to keep your fitness routine at an enjoyable level. When you enjoy your exercise, you will be consistent and benefits will follow."

It's easy to spot signs of overtraining. These include: lack of motivation, fatigue, muscle soreness, stiffness, and injury.

It is normal for someone to have some stiffness and soreness when they are just starting a workout routine because the body is trying to rebuild muscle and is adapting to this new regimen.

Giving the body a few days rest won't ruin all the hard work someone put in during the week.

The ISSA also says not be afraid of rest.

A good beginning routine is to workout about 3-4 days a week for about 90 minutes at a time.

Going over 90 minutes of exercise can be excessive, especially if your body is not use to aerobic exercise.

For some, the body can be worked excessively throughout the week for long periods of time.

The key is to give the body the same amount of time for rest as the time allowed for exercise.

Bodybuilders can be an exception at times to overtraining. These athletes train just about everyday and keep their body in phenomenal condition by eating the right foods and giving their body the rest it needs to recover.

Former lightweight division Mr. EIU, Josh Studzinski, exercises about 6-7 days a week for two hours.

Studzinski says his workouts are, "intense." He says he lifts weights for about an hour and a half and then works on cardiovascular exercise for another 30 minutes.

Exercising is only one part of creating a healthy body. Eating a good balanced healthy diet will help strengthen the body.

A balanced diet would include about 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, 3 servings of meat, beans and nuts, 3 servings of dairy, and 6 servings of whole grains, said Wilcox.

This would be the ideal eating routine everyday, but not everyone can eat those exact servings of each food every day.

Mixing a variety of foods, vitamins, and minerals throughout the day will benefit the body, and help with the recovery process.

There are also diets out there that cut out carbohydrates such as the Atkins diet, but Studzinksi says that people should watch out for this.

"Carbs are good for you," said Studzinski. "The key is to stay away from high glycemic rate foods, which are sugars, and food with high fat rates."

So for those who have that extra weight, this spring make sure to eat right and don't go overboard at the gym. Give the body time and all will work out fine.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools