Bodybuilder Classic Physique, Mike Sommerfeld is known for his brutal and intense sports sessionsbut the big German also knows that adequate rest is the surest way to reverse his hard-earned gains. Because of this, the man they call “Badras” has shared his progress with the break and also warned of the absolute worst period when bodybuilders should overtrain.
Why Mike Sommerfeld Says Overtraining Hurts Muscle Growth
“I was constantly overtraining,” Sommerfeld said in a reflective post to her 800K+ Instagram followers. It seems that as a result of his desire to build the perfect body, the great man neglected the importance of recovery and instead relied on more repetitions. The bodybuilder went on to explain that he now understands that while muscles recover relatively quickly, the rest of the body requires more rest. Studies certainly support Sommerfeld. A study by Pritchard and colleagues (2019) showed that rest periods of 3.5 and 5.5 days led to similar improvements in the bench press, meaning that only a few days were needed to regenerate tired muscles. “But a perfect body takes weeks and months to recover,” explained The Badass.
Why recovery is important for classical fitness success
In fact, tendons and ligaments often take longer to heal than muscles, and one of the reasons for this is that they don’t receive the same level of blood supply that muscle mass can absorb. Because of this, Sommerfeld now considers his “perfect body” as he aims for a full recovery, noting that after a recent vacation, “my bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles are back.” And it’s not just the body that needs a break. “Mental (health) education” is also a factor, Sommerfeld said.
As for how much rest is needed, it depends on the person and the damage that needs to be repaired. A mild ligament strain can be rehabilitated by improving training for 6 weeksbut some injuries require longer. However, Sommerfeld recommended the absolute worst period for bodybuilders to overtrain.
Mike Sommerfeld’s post-competition recovery strategy explained
Bad Har turned pro in the 212 division in 2019 and quickly moved up to the Men’s Classic Physique division with a runner-up finish at the 2020 IFBB British Grand Prix and has been a regular competitor ever since. In 2025, Sommerfeld won the Classic Physique award at the Olympia, and he won the gold medal at the Arnolds, winning the 2025 US show and the 2026 British Arnold.
“I want to recover now so I can be even more ready later,” Sommerfeld said, noting that sprinting from stage to stage can be taxing. “On the contrary, instead of building, it’s maintenance,” explained the bodybuilder, slowing down during times of stress. “You have to understand that my body has worked a lot in the last few weeks and months and I’ve always been in a lot of training (regime).” Sommerfeld went on to explain that it’s important to go hard in preparation for a competition, but then it’s important to wind things down after the competition to “come back as fresh as possible.”
Badassi believes that bodybuilders can do more damage to themselves after a competition than with a “strict” diet. “Bodybuilding shows are fun,” he said. “After that, the fun is over and you could end up hurting yourself badly.” Fortunately, after his success at the Arnold in Great Britain in March, the German feels better than ever and, if he can rest well, now hopes to win his first Olympics in 2026.
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