OVERTRAINING?

by Mr B October 29, 2021

Overtraining

Overtraining is the result of giving your body more work or stress than it can handle. Overtraining occurs when the volume and intensity of the exercise exceeds an individual's recovery capacity.

There is often a lot of confusion about overtraining. Overtraining doesn't mean training too much.

The recognized sport-science definition of overtraining is:

"A physiological state caused by an excess accumulation of physiological, psychological, emotional, environmental, and chemical stress that leads to a sustained decrease in physical and mental performance, and that requires a relatively long recovery period."

Overtraining may be accompanied by one or more associated symptoms. These may include:

Lack of training progression, Gains, Results
loss of enjoyment or enthusiasm for training,
deterioration in performance,
increased muscle soreness and fatigue,
more frequent illness (Lowered immune system),
increased injuries,
decreased libido,
decreased appetite,
mood disturbance (decreased self-esteem, Depression, Anxiety
increased perception of mental fatigue
insomnia,

Prevention/Treatment

Listen to your bodies, Get sufficient rest, Get assistance from a personal trainer that can design a plan to optimise recovery periods and eat well.

It is important to ensure that a diet high in Carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats such as omega 3 oils is followed. Taking a break from training to allow time for recovery.

Reducing the volume and/or the intensity of the training. Splitting the training program so that different sets of muscles are worked on different days. Deep-tissue or sports massage of the affected muscles can also assist with recovery periods.