Overtraining

WHAT IS OVERTRAINING? HOW DOES IT OCCUR?

Overtraining is when a person over-exceeds their body’s ability to recover from strenuous exercise. For athletes overtraining is often classified as chronic fatigue, burnout or overstress. An athlete or individual can completely crash, become frequently ill, chronically fatigued and eventually forced into complete rest for up to 3 months if seriously over-trained. For a non-elite athlete, high intensity and high volume training over an extended period of time, leads to inadequate recovery, which is very dangerous and damaging to the body and muscles. High volume workouts may include multiple exercise sessions in a single day, and numerous reps of certain exercises. Although you may think high intensity training can be beneficial in muscle growth and weight loss, if you become over-trained, it completely contradicts your fitness goals.

Here are some of the common ways overtraining occurs:

- Drastic amounts of High intensity and endurance training over long periods of time (weeks or months)

- No vacations or breaks, between training segments

- Not enough of the proper nutritional foods.

- Insufficient sleep

- Extremes amount of high level competition (athletes)

- High levels of stress and anxiety

- Drastic increases in distance, length, speed, etc.

MAIN SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF OVERTRAINING.

There are several symptoms of overtraining to watch for! None of these symptoms should be taken as a clear indication of overtraining, as they can have many other causes but if you experience 3 to 4 of these it is time to take a break!

Some symptoms including the following:

1. Chronic and excessively sore/weak muscles

2. Metabolic imbalances.

3. Excessive fatigue, mainly outside of the gym.

4. Loss of motivation, energy and enthusiasm to train.

5. Loss of appetite

In this presentation I will be focusing specifically on these main four:

1. Heart Rate and Blood Pressure

2. Moodiness and Agitation

3. Susceptibility to Sickness

4, Disturbed Sleeping Patterns and Insomnia

HEART RATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE

You may have a higher resting heart rate and blood pressure, while overtraining. The autonomic nervous system fulfils a role in all stress tolerance; a negative adaption to training stress can result in an altered heart rate. If you record your heart rate each morning, and find you have a heart rate increase over an extended period of time, you may be over-trained.

Overtraining influences hormone secretion, specifically increased levels of cortisol and adrenaline or stress hormones. This can result in elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.

MOODINESS AND AGITATION

As explained earlier, overtraining leads to a decrease in hormone production, specifically the hormone catecholamine. This decrease can influence the sympathetic nervous system, causing increased feelings of stress, moodiness, agitation, anxiety and many others.

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO SICKNESS

Overtraining impairs the immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to contacting colds, the flu and other viruses. If you are getting sick more often than usual with repeated bouts of the same virus, it could be a sign of overtraining. Research shows that athletes exercising at a high intensity for approx. 90 minutes, experience a steep drop in their immune function, lasting up to 24 hours. Results from a survey conducted by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute displays nearly 90% of 2,700 high schools university coaches and athletic trainers believe that overtraining can compromise the immune system and result in athletes being sick!

DISTURBED SLEEPING PATTERNS AND INSOMNIA

Overtraining causes trouble sleeping and restlessness, as is interferes with the body’s daily rhythms and patterns. Some symptoms of insomnia and disturbed sleeping include waking up earlier than normal or having trouble both staying and falling asleep.

WHO SUFERS FROM OVERTRAININGG? HOW DOES THIS EFFECT PERFORMANCE IN ATHLETES?

Overtraining can happen to any athletes, no matter the fitness or training level. The imbalance between stress and recovery is not just a problem for highly trained athletes, it could just as simply happen to you and me. Although, if you are new to a sport and your training level and athleticism is low, your body has less ability to take on the physical demands of the training, so you have a higher chance of reaching the overtrained state. Experienced athletes who are accustomed to high training workouts have higher capabilities, and are less likely to suffer the effects of overtraining.

Overtrained athletes exhibit higher levels of negative moods such as tension, depression, anger and confusion, which can come out in game play and performance, resulting in them having penalties, disqualified, etc. Overtraining also causes athletes to have lower levels of positive moods states, like vigor, motivation and drive during training. Lack of improved performance and decreases in endurance/strength, such as reduced running speeds and slower reaction times, are all signs of overtraining in athletes.

HOW CAN YOU AVOID OVETRAINING?

There are many simple ways to avoid becoming overtrained! Including some of the following:

- Develop an efficient training program that works for you and your body!

- Set goals

- Keep a daily training log

- Eat the proper nutritional foods

- Get the full needed amount of sleep

- Stretch often, ice and massage sore tendons or muscles.

- Rest. Take a day off each week, or even a few if necessary and give your body time to rest and recover.

- Get a physical and blood tests every six months.

- Deal with your personal, non training stress (work, family, etc)

“I can take time off! Every minute I’m not working out is a minute my competition has to get ahead of me.”

“I get my confidence from knowing that I work harder than everyone else out there.”

“No pain, no gain.”

These are quotes we hear excessively often from athletes. To avoid overtraining, stick to your own body’s capabilities, and don’t overwork your body trying to catch up to someone more advanced. Most importantly, watch your overall wellbeing and mental health!

MORE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER!

HOW TO RECOVER AND GET BACK ON TRACK! (If over-trained)

It is critical if you are overtrainind to stop exercising! Set aside a few days/weeks to rest your body or lower the volume/intensity. This strategy is called ‘periodization’ and is very common among athletes. This strategy allows your body to recover and regenerate and you can return to your usual exercise/training program better than ever! Another way to gradually pull yourself out of an overtrained state is to simply start reducing the number of reps, sets, length of time or intensity of training. For example, if you usually execute 5 sets of an exercise cut it down to 2 – 3. It also helps to take small relaxing breaks during the day, such as massages, meditation, therapy and stretching. This will help to relive tension, stress and sore muscles

Researchers and coaches have yet to find the exact amount of time needed to fully recover from a bout of overtraining, but it is estimated at least 6-8 weeks of complete rest. The rest period will primarily depend on how severe your symptoms and state are. During your recovery time it is critical for you to listen to your body and be patient!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Here are a few of the souces I used to conduct my research...

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/all-about-overtraining/

https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6466/overtraining-9-signs-of-overtraining-to-look-out-for/

https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/What-High-Volume-Training-45403259