Overtraining. For many this is a subject they don’t like to talk about. They want to avoid the conversation because it may mean that there was a misstep along the way.
Athletes especially struggle to discuss this word and the toll it can take on their workouts, results, and overall fitness. Yes, this does include anyone at any age who burns down their energy and does not have enough recovery time.
Overtraining causes mental and physical fatigue and limits your ability to get results.
For some, it’s like getting lost in a store. It may be easiest to stop and ask someone for assistance. Asking them to point you in the right direction for the item you’re looking for, but as frustration builds you become more insistent on doing it yourself.
Overtraining can build this same frustration. You think you know exactly how to get the results you want with your fitness routine, and as you work toward them you get frustrated because you aren’t reaching the results you desired.
Suddenly, you find yourself pushing harder and harder trying to figure out what to change and in the meantime you quit listening to your body.
It’s time to stop and find help to ensure your fitness does not suffer any longer!
Your body breaks down and your mind can’t focus on what was once your primary goal. You’ve started over-training and your body can’t take it anymore. You start to notice pain, discomfort, lack of energy and other symptoms associated with overtraining.
How do you know if you’re overtraining? What warning signs should you be watching out for?
Here are 15 signs you may be overtraining in your fitness routine:
- Chronic pain and discomfort in the low back
- Soreness in your calf
- Constant fatigue
- Knee pain or discomfort
- Inability to concentrate
- Lack of desire to train or workout
- Chronic joint pain
- Inability to sleep at night
- Decreased performance
- Change in appetite
- Moodiness
- Decreased immunity
- Weight gain or loss that isn’t expected
- Increased stress levels
- Your workouts begin to feel more challenging than before
Anyone who workouts is susceptible to overtraining.
To prevent overtraining you must pay attention to what your body is telling you. The sooner you catch on to these symptoms and address them, the sooner you can be back to training at your full capacity.
The more symptoms, however, you have the longer it will take you to recover and treat the symptoms you suffer from. Overtraining can be severe, don’t allow it to carry on too long without addressing the symptoms above.
The best treatment for over-training is to rest and recover.
Treatment will vary based on the types of injuries you may be suffering from over-training, but no matter what you will need to rest and recover. If you catch it early enough, you may only need to take a week off to rest, stretch, and do a lighter workout. However, the longer you’ve been over-training the longer and more severe your treatment will need to be.
Have you been over-training? If you aren’t sure if you’ve been over-training, or if you need help and guidance on the best ways to treat, recover and prevent further overtraining symptoms, contact an M3 Team Partner today!
We are here for you. We’re here to guide you and help you through each phase of training to help you reach your ultimate potential. Overtraining may be a bump in the road, but we are here to help you get through it and get back on track!