I’ve been interested in reading about neurotypes and responses to training. I hadn’t heard of that before, but after taking the time to read your articles, it’s clear you really have it figured out.
As a type 2B/3 (maybe more 3), I am drawn to 531-style workouts (which I was naturally drawn to, and didn’t realize why until reading your articles). When I try to ramp up to 4 or more training days, I find my sleep suffers. I train earlier in the day (late morning), and don’t understand why I would have trouble sleeping when I train more than 2 days in a row.
For example, I did a pretty intense squat workout this week and the next day did your V-taper workout. I also played soccer later the second day. I would think I’d sleep great, but I had a poor night’s sleep. This has been a pattern for me, in that when I ramp up training frequency my sleep suffers.
Am I doomed to 3x a week workouts? I have found I can do that frequency, and feel great and have energy for sports and sleep well. When going to 4+ workouts per week, my competitive edge in sports diminishes and I sleep poorly.
You sound more like a type 3 since type 2Bs prefer mind-muscle/pump work. But I’d have to know more about you to be sure. But in both cases the problem is the same and it has to do with neural activation. Specifically excessive neural activation.
Both type 2Bs and 3s then to have more stress, they worry more, they think a lot, they often have problems sleeping because they cannot shut their brain down, they have a hard time making decisions, they prefer to stick to a plan, etc.
That is because their default state is one where their neurons are firing fast, even at rest. When you lift you amp up the nervous system, making those neurons fire even faster. And the heavier you lift, the more your amp that CNS up.
Here’s the thing, neurotypes 2Bs and 3s have a lower level of GABA and/or serotonin. These are the neurotransmitters responsible for calming down the CNS when it is amped up.
When the workout ends, the CNS is firing on all cylinders (especially if it was a heavy session). And the longer it keeps firing on all cylinders the more CNS fatigue you create (either dopamine depletion or andrenergic receptor resistance), and also the higher is the cortisol production. The first make that workout a lot harder on the nervous system recovery and the second make it a lot harder to build muscle rapidly.
Those who have a higher level of serotonin and GABA can easily calm their CNS down after a heavy workout. The result is that they do not cause more CNS fatigue than what the workout actually created.
But those with a lower level of serotonin/GABA will have a hard time calming their brain down. Resulting in more CNS fatigue and more cortisol.
BTW playing a competitive game of soccer will be even worse because it will spike your CNS even more than a heavy workout. The reason why you can’t sleep is that you cannot shut down your brain, it stays amped up. Then you try to sleep and you think think think…
What can you do?
Arrange the workouts so that they won’t be on the same day as a soccer game
Use supplements to calm down the CNS after the workout (glycine, 5HTP with vitamin B6 or even a low dose of Z12, like 1 capsule)… also taking that after a soccer match
It literally has NOTHING to so with that. It is from a neurological hyperactivity. The magnesium might help since it’s a mild relaxant, but his problem is not an electrolyte imbalance, or at least it’s not the main issue.
Thanks you for the detailed response. Your description about the situation is exactly right, and describes me very well.
If you’re able to consider another effect I’ve never been able to explain:
For years I overtrained because I thought I should force myself to do 5-6 days a week of intense training. Over time, I developed an anxious edge where I began to get a bit shaky in situations of even moderate anxiety that used to not bother me. I could never figure it out, and attributed it to just the stress of my job/life. I thought working out was good for that, so I kept up an intense, high frequency schedule.
Could a type 3 overtrain for a prolonged time where they actually caused themselves to develop anxiety that carries over into their daily life?
High cortisol reduces sleep quality raises cortisol etc. etc. If you stop sleeping well at night for a long time you can literally have a “nervous breakdown” which makes it hard to function. Also the chronic high cortisol can mean low T, but I’ve seen some people get anxiety on T-replacement too.
What do you think about L-theonine before bed? How much? You recommended 1 tablet after training. What can happen if you take more than that? I’ve read that you can get desensitized. Also, green tea, cocoa and even coffee have theonine in them. If you have green tea in the morning and more theonine around bedtime can you get too much? L Theonine helped me relax at night or even for a mid day nap, but it seems to work less over time.
My total Testosterone is 806 ng/L, based on my recent blood tests. According to the results readout, the normal range was anything above 240 ng/L, so I think I’m good there. I’ve never been on T replacement or had low T (that I know of) at any time.
A few years ago, I switched to less extreme workouts (and less frequency, too) and the anxiety in social settings really decreased substantially and hasn’t returned. I was never able to really figure out what was going on, and it was very frustrating to be in group meetings, etc…, and feel less effective because of shakiness/anxiety when speaking.
My workouts used to be: muscle ups, handstand push ups, one arm push ups, lots of ring dips and ring work, 1 leg pistol squats, and lots of sprints, races and boxing/sparring. Once I got good at these things, it became a bit of a badge of honor and I felt like if I backed off I’d lose the ability to do them. My workouts are now focused more on the big barbell lifts, but with submaximal weights following 531 progressions. Gradually, my background anxiety lessened and has been about normal the last couple of years.