How do you know if you are over training? Well it can be quite simple based on your performance during practice. If the result isn’t better than the practice before or last week (say based on times) then that might be a symptom. For example if you benched 8 reps at 180 lbs but could only do 6 on your next workout could mean you have not fully recovered from your last workout. Generally overtraining can be determined in the simplest ways like communication with your coach. Be sure to to tell your coach “How you feel today” and the coach ask their athletes. If there legs feel “heavy and stiff” or they just don’t feel great today, then this could mean the athlete hasn’t adapted to the previous workout.
Physiological Performance
- Decreased performance
- Inability to meet previous workout standards
- Delayed recovery
- Decreased maximum work capacity
- Loss of coordination
- Slower movement patterns
- Technique breaking down at quicker rate
- Rapid heart increase
- Changes in blood pressure
- Changes in heart rate at rest, exercise and recovery
- Increased lactic acid
- Chronic fatigue
- Psychological Performance
Prevent Overtraining Through Training
I believe that the lack of progress to training is more often the cause of overtraining than any other factor. As you know, overtraining begins when you’re exposed to a subsequent training sessions before recovering from the previous workout. If this occurs over a number of training sessions, you start to see the more obvious signs of overtraining as listed above.
Personally, I think there is too much information on the symptoms instead rather than the prevention of them. You often read the words ‘overtraining syndrome’ and ‘planned overtraining’. This is unnecessary if are in control of the training process and recovery process. If you start training to pre-set levels and recovery in pre-planned ways than you can easily side-step overtraining and do not need to know anything about signs and symptons and syndromes!
With every workout you do you much decided how much, how hard, and how far you go! Some days are ok to push it and other days are not and only you can decide that, not your coach. Then it is up to you to recover for another days practice, not you or your coach. So the ice baths, massage, treatments to prevent feeling the symptoms of overtraining.
Take control of your training decisions!
Preventing Overtraining with Nutrition
Nutrition plays a critical role of replacing energy in the body. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Never miss breakfast! This is the meal that ‘breaks the fast’. Extending this fast can be very catabolic and cause in loss of muscle tissue.
- Avoid hunger pains at all costs. This is a sure-fire way that your body is stealing from your precious muscle to give to more vital organs.
- Don’t train hungry unless your goal is to lose weight and muscle mass. Catabolism will be even greater than normal.
- Even if you are not hungry, pretend that you are hungry and eat something within sixty to ninety minutes prior to working out.
- Never miss your post workout shake. The sooner you get this in your body the better. Focus on a 2:1 ratio of simple carbs and protein in liquid form plus branch chain amino acids.
- Consider supplements such as creatine and antioxidants to help accelerate cellular hydration and energy replacement; and combat the free radical damage in the body.
(original image by Eric Wolfe)
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hey guys i red all three of your articles on overtraining and i was wondering if i can get ur opinion on something. An athlete training in season such as a b-ball player a soccer player… how often should they train their legs ? for example if im practicing 4-5 times a week as well as a game.. and what should the load be like .. should i even be attempting overloading my legs in season or should i stick to really light leg training. Im not to sure about this one to be honest .. and does the same thing apply for upper body.. for example training your lower body light and upper body heavier because your looking to increase mass gains and get stronger in season… ur opinion is well appreciated.