Syndrome of overtraining (OTS) is a condition where an athlete faces decreased performance despite the incremental training. This disease is possible in any sport and is characterized by a prolonged physical/mental fatigue. It is not necessarily the excess in exercising: there is immoderation between work and rest-related demands. Overtraining has so numerous effects mostly undesirable like the diminishing performance in the sporting arena, high chances of one being injured, emotional imbalance and in the long run health complications can indeed happen.
It is noteworthy that sportsmen can know the symptoms of overtraining at the initial phase of time to prevent such negative effects. These seven warning signals can assist coaches and the athletes to know when one is overtraining:
1. Muscle Soreness or Pain On a Continual Basis
Constant muscle soreness or pain that is not removed after rest or some light exercises is one of the most evident and immediate consequences of overtraining. As is the case in most instances, post exercise soreness is not something to worry about but part of the process of adaptation. Nevertheless, this pained experience may last several days or the pain is more profound, then it may signify that your body is not ready to accept the exercises. This pain may linger to lower your performance in your further trainings.
2. Decreased Performance
A decrease in apparent performance is the most significant visible symptoms of over training. This is observable at low speed in running or cycling of bicycles, low strength in weights lifting or low aptitude of executing aptitudes in sporting activities that involve precision. The performance of such over trained athletes also drops although the intensity of training stays or even becomes higher. It is important to remember that there may be cases when the performance is dissimilar, yet, a tendency to reduce it regularly is a signal.
3. Increased Fatigue
Among the dangerous signs of over training, there is the existence of chronic fatigue that is incurable after a good rest. Being an athlete, you are expected to be exhausted following a strenuous training but when you have no energy all the time, you are always tired, and you find it impossible to bounce back, then you are sure that your body is being overworked. It can also be applied to day to day activities beyond the training, in the workplace, in school or personal life.
4. Alteration in sleep pattern
Another characteristic of over training is sleep disorders. They can also lack sleep, rise frequently at night and/or not to fall asleep even in the condition of intense fatigue. Fatigue may also be worsened by poor sleep and have adverse effects on the recovery process. Moreover, the fact that there is no good reason to change the sleeping habits or an increase in the sleeping habits of a person might be evidence of overtraining.
5. High RHR
One of techniques of giving you clues about the amount of stress, generally, in your body is monitoring your resting heart rate (RHR). The RHR remains above normal (5-10 beats per minute in most cases) then your body might be under too much stress. This rise in RHR may be part of the physiological response to overtraining, which is assumed to be the pressure on the cardiovascular system.
6. Irritability & Mood Swings
The psychological health is also an important aspect of sports and too much training can influence the mood swings considerably. Most of the athletes complain of irritation, stressed, depressed or concentration. These mood changes may be dependent on physical stress and sleep deprivation. Burnout that is as a result of over training can result in emotional, physical and mental fatigue.
7. Common injuries and illnesses
Over-training also suppresses the immune system and makes an athlete susceptible to infection due to disease related effects such as colds and flu as well as making an athlete a subject to injury. When the body is subjected to a constant stress without the recovery that the body needs, then the body is more susceptible to poor healing. Milder injuries like tendinosis or shin splints may turn into chronic conditions, when one does not allow them time to heal. Also, frequent diseases or infections could become the markers of over-training of immune system.
Prevention and Recovery strategies
The prevention of overtraining entails the allocation of both a training load and adequate recovery. A few of the strategies include the following:
-Control Training Loads: Implement such tools as heart rate monitors or power meters or perceived exertion scales to maintain the fact that you are not over training.
-Periodization: Structure your training to have high intensity training at high levels with recovery weeks so that you train at a high intensity basis.
-Learn to be in touch with your body: become aware of being physically and psychologically. Train volume and intensity through the response of your body.
-Proper Nutrition: Note you are taking the right amount of calories, the protein and other nutrients you need to enhance your training requirements.
-Hydration: Remember to drink enough water particularly on a hot day or an advanced training.
-Rest and Recovery: Be sure that you take a rest and that you make sure that you take proactive methods of recovery like yoga or light swims to aid in muscle recovery.
-Professional Guidance - Find a coach, physiotherapist or sports scientist to guide you in achieving your progress and keep your program up-to-date.
Finally, the signs of overtraining are one of the most significant aspects of the capacity to maintain the level of performance at the highest level and prevent the emergence of the health hazards. Knowing these symptoms and observing the prevention measures, sportspersons will be successful in the long run and reduce the chance of falling into the trap of overtraining.
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