Overtraining
Overtraining is a physical and mental collapse.
Why does it happen?
Overtraining occurs when a person experiences stress and physical trauma
from exercise faster than her or his body can repair the damage.
What happens?
The overtrained individual suffers from prolonged fatigue and
underperformance. There is no quantative test for overtraining, but the
symptoms are:
Psychological
- Fatigue
- Reduced concentration
- Apathy
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Depression
Performance
- Decreased performance
- Delayed recovery from training
- Intolerance to training
Physiological
- Elevated morning resting pulse rate
- Increase in injuries
- Chronic muscle soreness
- Weight loss
- Frequent minor infections
- Appetite loss
Prevention and Treatment
Less is more!
Recommended Recovery Program
Five weeks of rest with low levels of exercise.
Correct nutrition.
Removing as much stress as possible.
Slow return to normal training levels.
Cross training to avoid temptation of too much too soon.
In general if performance and mood improve, the overtrained individual
is recovering.
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