Overtraining: The Zealous Trainee’s Curse
Brian July 13th, 2009
Overtraining can take many forms, and they can be difficult to discern. Most novice trainees have been overtrained at one point or another in their training career. Overtraining is more common among endurance athletes than strength athletes due to the volume of training performed. A person may experience one or more of the following symptoms with overtraining syndrome: depression, nervous system problems, elevated resting pulse, chronic sickness, insomnia, soft tissue injuries, elevated cortisol, general fatigue and weakness.
The severity of symptoms is vastly different among people. Some trainees may just need a week off, while others may be affected for months or never recover at all (in the case of injuries). Needless to say, this syndrome is something to be avoided at all costs. Knowing your body is the first line of defense in preventing overtraining syndrome.
Overtraining syndrome should not be confused with overreaching. Overreaching is the precursor to overtraining. It is what makes us adapt from a training stimulus. A person trains and does more than he/she is used to, the body adapts over a period of time commensurate with the intensity of the training, and then the body compensates by becoming stronger. Overreaching becomes an issue when it is done over too long of a period of time, or when subsequent training sessions happen before recovery occurs.
The following is a list of things to look for in overtraining syndrome:
- Elevated morning resting pulse (more than 10 bpm above normal)
- Unusual fatigue
- Repeated colds
- Strength loss over successive weeks
- Insomnia
- Loss of interest in training