Reactive Training Systems

I dont know much about the contrast baths or epsom salt bath because I have never done any of that.

As for the cardio I dont know if Mike has a specific guidline with his type of training but I know for myself its about 1-3 times a week. I try to set it up on off days for about 20-30 min. I find it helps keep the soreness away. I personally hate the bike so I stick to the treadmill and the stepmill but if I am really tired I do the eliptical. I find when I do to much it just seems like im in the gym all the time and that starts to ware on me after a while.

As for grip work it used to be a big prob with me to the point where I couldnt deadlift 600lbs because I would either lose it or i was concentrating so much on not losing it that my form would suffer and I just couldnt get the lift. Here are some of the exercises I have found helped alot to a point where now I can hold on to anything no prob even when its ripping the callases off my hands.

I would say the best exercise other than deadlifts was plate pinching. I havebig hands so I would just grab 2 45lbs plates and pinch them with my fingers until I dropped it and repeated that for 4-5 sets. I would work up to 2 45's then after the 4-5 main work sets I would grab another lighter weight and hold it for even longer.

Another exercise even though people might look at you is set up 2 olympic bars in a cage place the weight on the bar and stand between the 2 bars then grap them and try to hold on till you cant anymore. The long olympic bar makes balance a challenge and as you get better and you start adding more weight its a nice test. I used the same protocol as the plate pinching in terms of sets.

I did do some hammer curls and pinwheel curls as well as reverse curls but I gave those up and stuck with the 2 above for about 2-3 months and now I dont do them anymore and deadlifts are more than enough for my grip work.

hope that helps a little.

Sympathetic overreached

- Observation: Impaired performance, lack supercompensation, restlessness, irritability, weight loss, increased resting heart rate, increased blood pressure, retarded recovery

- This athlete will need to perform a high volume of low intensity work

- This athlete is also to perform the following recovery methods: Stimulate appetite through alkaline foods (Milk, fruit, fresh vegetables), Avoid stimulatory substances (coffee), Small amounts of alcohol is permitted, increased quantities of B vitamins, physiotherapy, outdoor swimming, bathing 15-20 minutes at 35-37 degrees (No sauna), Cold showers in the morning and brisk toweling, Light and rhythmical exercises, climactic therapy, Ultra-violet therapy, Change the environment alternate areas of various altitudes, cardiovascular activity with HR @ 120-130 BPM



Parasympathetic overreached

- Observation: Impaired performance, lack supercompensation, depression, apathy, sleepy, constant weight, Low resting heart rate, low blood pressure, supressed HR exercise profile, supressed lactate exercise profile, supressed neuro-muscular excitability (decreased broad jump / vertical jump performance)  

- This athlete will need to perform a low volume of high intensity work

- This athlete is also to perform the following recovery methods: Favors acidifying foods (cheese, meat, cake, eggs), Vitamins B & C groups, Physiotherapy, Alternate Hot showers (3 minutes) and cold showers (1 minute) repeat this 3 times, Sauna at medium temperatures alternated with short cold showers, Intensive massage, Vibration Massage, EMS and TENS, Epson Salt Bath, Active movements, climactic therapy, sea and sea level altitude, preferred bracing, brisk walk on a bark trail in the woods, Resisted Breathing, Luke warm shower (not hot will increase inflammation), Cardiovascular activity with HR @ 120-130

I don't know if I subscribe to all of these recommendations.  Most research fails to provide positive chemical changes in most recovery methods.

Thanks Landon, that makes sense.

Let me just make sure Ive got this completely right in principle:
Sympathetic overreaching is typically a result of putting the body in a sympathetic-dominant state too much
Parasympathetic overreaching comes from too much acute stress on the body, resulting in an out-of-tolerance parasympathetic shift
Is that pretty much right?

If thats correct, it stands to reason that, with the way most PLs currently train, Parasympathetic overreaching is more likely than sympathetic overreaching, which would explain my positive experience with sauna. It also explains why jumping in the sauna immediately post-workout (sympathetic dominant) sounds aweful. But then again, so does a hot bath (35 degrees C is 95 degrees F), so do you have any insight on why the difference?