Signs of Overtraining

Signs of Overtraining

With exercise there comes a tipping point.  The more you workout, the more benefits you will achieve but you could go as far as harming yourself by two ways: too much exercise with not enough recovery and chronic underfueling.  Over training syndrome leads to decrement in fitness level and possibly injury.  Men and women are both at equal risk for OTS.  Here are some signs for overtaining to look out for.

1. Decreased performance.

A decrease in agility, strength and endurance with lower reaction time and running speed are common.

2. Increased perceived effort during workout.

Overtraining can decrease performance but it can also make effortless workouts seem difficult.  A clear sign is having an abnormally elevated heart rate during exercise or throughout the day.

3. Excessive fatigue.

A few days of fatigue is expected but fatigue accumulates when the body has a chance to recover from previous workouts.  Negative energy expenditure leads to low energy availability, where the body consistently pulls from its own energy stores (carbs, protein, fats).  This is because of too much training or too little fueling.

4. Moodiness.

Overtraining affects your stress hormones including epinephrine and cortisol.  This hormonal imbalance causes mood swings and the inability to concentrate.

5. Insomnia or restless sleep

Sleep helps the body repair itself.  But if there is an overproduction of stress hormones they may not allow you to wind down or relax.

6. Loss of appetite.

More training usually leads to more appetite but if there is a hormonal imbalance it can also lead to appetite suppression.

7. Chronic injuries.

Overused muscles and joints can cause aches and pains.  Overtraining takes over all of the bodies systems and can make it difficult to ward off infections.

It is better to follow a periodized training program that has both recovery and complete rest.  It is better to spend two days on a foam roller than recovering in a hospital bed.  Recovery allows for great production tomorrow and most likely fewer missed training days in the future.