Avoiding Injury: Don’t Overtrain

Everybody knows that to improve your performance you've got to work hard. However, training hard breaks down tissue in a process called catabolism. Physiological improvements occur during the rest period as a result of the body’s adaptation to intense training. This is the anabolic or building-up process. This physiological adaptation is in response to increased loading of the cardiovascular and muscular systems and is accomplished by improving efficiency of the heart (more blood pumped per heart beat), increasing the capillaries and blood supply to the muscles, and increasing glycogen (energy) stores and mitochondria (power plants) within the muscle cells. During periods of recovery these systems rebuild to greater levels in response to the stress that you have placed on the system. They are, in effect, preparing your body for greater demands. The result is that you are now capable of performing at a higher level before fatigue sets in. If sufficient rest is not included in a training program, then this rebuilding cannot be completed and performance plateaus or declines. This is overtraining! Overtraining Syndrome is the name given to the collection of emotional, behavioral and physical symptoms caused by inadequate recovery following the demands of exercise that has persisted for weeks to months. Overtraining is marked by fatigue and exhaustion that persist even after ample recovery periods. nnSigns of overtraining:n • Lethargy, fatiguen • General body achen • Pain in muscles and joints • Sudden decreased performance • Decreased training capacity/intensity • Increased incidence of injuries • Increased number of colds, sore throats, etc • Insomnia • Irritability and moodinessn • Depression • Lack of enthusiasm for the sport • Decreased appetite • Decreased sexual performance nnOther Causes of Overtraining Overtraining occurs more frequently when combined with other physical and psychological stressors. Such stressors include jet lag, ongoing illness, work-related stress, menstruation, poor nutrition, etc. It is a particular problem for those athletes and dieters who engage in intense exercise while limiting their food intake.nnMeasuring Overtraining There are several ways to objectively measure the signs of overtraining. nn- Document your heart rates over time. Track your aerobic heart rate at specific exercise intensities throughout your workout and keep these records. If your pace starts to decrease your resting heart rate starts to increase, and/or you experience some of the symptoms listed above, it may be a warning that you are nearing the point of overtraining. You can also track your morning heart rate to determine how well you recover from training. - Keep a training log that includes a note about how you feel each day can help you notice downward trends or decreased enthusiasm. It's important to listen to the signals your body is sending and rest when you feel tired. nn- Get feedback. It is also a good idea to ask those around you if they think you are exercising too much. nnTreating Overtraining Syndrome As with most injuries, prevention is the best medicine. Well-balanced, gradual increases in training are recommended. A training schedule design, called periodization, varies the training load in cycles with built-in mandatory rest phases. During the high-workload phase, the athlete alte ates between high-intensity interval work and low-intensity endurance work. This approach is used successfully by a number of elite athletes in many sports. Research on overtraining syndrome shows that allowing ample rest is the primary way to treat overtraining and its symptoms. However, some new evidence indicates that low levels of exercise (active recovery) during the rest period will speed the recovery process. Moderate exercise has also been shown to increase immunity. Total recovery can take several weeks and includes proper nutrition and stress reduction. Unfortunately, many athletes wait too long before realizing it's time to do something. An important component of exercise is to objectively measure your training direction and modify it before damage is done. nnSome Recommendations to Prevent Overtraining Allow more time for the body to recover by: - Taking a break from training to allow time for recovery. - Reducing the volume and/or the intensity of your training. - Suitable periodization of training. Drink plenty of fluids. Check and alter your diet if necessary by: - Ensuring caloric intake matches (or possibly exceeds) expenditure. - Addressing vitamin deficiencies with nutritional supplements. - Many nutritionists suggest drinking 5 oz. of water per 10 pounds of body weight. (e.g., a 180-pound person should drink 90 oz. of water per day). Cross-training can help you discover if you are overworking certain muscles and also help you determine if you are just mentally fatigued. It can also help strengthen muscles that you might be neglecting. Spa treatments may be effective through: - Deep-tissue or sports massage of the overworked muscles. - Self-massage of the affected muscles. - Cryotherapy and thermotherapy (cold and heat). - Temperature contrast therapy (contrast showers – alte ating between cold and hot showers to stimulate the body to heat itself up and cool itself down, etc.). n