From Great To Injured: What You Need To Know About Overtraining

What is overtraining?

Overtraining is the result of excessive volumes (too much) or excessive intensities (too hard) of training which means that the body is not sufficiently recovered prior to the next training stress being applied. Put simply overtraining puts the body in a situation where it is breaking down faster than it can be repaired. Please remember that training sessions give the stimulus for improvements in cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength but the improvements actually occur when we recover from the stimulus.
 
What are the signs and symptoms?

  •   Reduced enthusiasm for training
  •   Decrements in physical performance
  •    Altered morning heart rate – plus or minus 10 beats per minute compared to normal is usually a sign.
  •    Increased incidence of injury and illness
  •   Chronic muscle soreness
  •   Irritability and anxiety
  •   Dramatic weight loss   Disturbed sleep patterns
  •   Reduced appetite

Any or all of these negative side effects of overtraining including injury, sickness, or exhaustion can mean significant time off from training.

How do we avoid It?

The key to avoiding overtraining is to recognise the symptoms early and then to reduce the volume or intensity of training for a period of time. This sounds easy on the surface but can be more difficult to control in practice as it is often said that the hardest thing for a professional or recreational athlete to do is “not to train!”

One of the best ways to avoid overtraining is to keep a training diary. The Personal Training diary I use by MSP (Muscle Superfine Products) encourages me to record the following things daily:

  •   Hours slept last night
  •   Appetite
  •   Mood
  •   Energy
  •   Dietary Information

I have found through experience that if I record this information regularly that it will leave significant clues as to how well I am recovering from my training. For example, if I have had several nights of interrupted sleep, then this leaves a clue that I might need a light session or no session at all, especially if this is combined with low energy levels and a grumpy attitude! 

Take Home Message

There are two types of people in the world:

1.      Those that need a kick up the backside to do any physical activity at all, i.e. the majority of the non-exercising public.
2.     The other type is those drawn to a career, or at least an interest in the fitness industry.

For the majority of us who love exercise  the hardest thing to do is “not to train”, however at times that is exactly what our body needs to allow us to keep making gains by not getting ill or injured. I would encourage you to start keeping training records and to pay attention when your body starts telling you that it is time for a break.