Spring Break
Take care of your body by avoiding overtraining
Busy Bodies
Issue date: 10/25/07
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Everyone knows that feeling of excitement when you are first starting a new exercise routine. You have enthusiasm, you see results and you are pushing yourself harder each time.
But after a while, that motivation can begin to fade. As you attempt to continually intensify or prolong the duration of your workouts, you soon start to undergo negative psychological and physical changes.
These negative symptoms may be linked to overtraining. Overtraining is when you push your body harder and beyond limits that it is able to recover from.
Some of the symptoms of overtraining can include decreased enthusiasm for training and training intensity and increased injuries or illness.
Other common symptoms of overtraining are irritability, insomnia, fatigue, depression and decrease in appetite.
Athletes in training for a specific event are typically the target group of that experience overtraining syndrome because of the extent to which they push themselves. It is easy to be overtraining and not know or recognize it.
When we work out, we are actually breaking our bodies down. You do not become more powerful in your workouts, but rather in your rest and recovery periods.
Rest and recovery allow for progressive overload, the process by which you can intensify your workouts and achieve greater results. This is the best way for your muscle fibers to mend and become stronger.
Scheduling at least one complete rest day into your training program is essential, particularly if you're training hard most days throughout the week. Overuse injuries can be prevented by working opposing muscles during strength training.
Setting aside at least one day during your exercise schedule for cross-training is also a good idea. This is especially important if your training program consists of exercises where the same muscle groups are been used again and again. Switching it up will also decrease boredom and allow you to have more enthusiasm for your training.
But after a while, that motivation can begin to fade. As you attempt to continually intensify or prolong the duration of your workouts, you soon start to undergo negative psychological and physical changes.
These negative symptoms may be linked to overtraining. Overtraining is when you push your body harder and beyond limits that it is able to recover from.
Some of the symptoms of overtraining can include decreased enthusiasm for training and training intensity and increased injuries or illness.
Other common symptoms of overtraining are irritability, insomnia, fatigue, depression and decrease in appetite.
Athletes in training for a specific event are typically the target group of that experience overtraining syndrome because of the extent to which they push themselves. It is easy to be overtraining and not know or recognize it.
When we work out, we are actually breaking our bodies down. You do not become more powerful in your workouts, but rather in your rest and recovery periods.
Rest and recovery allow for progressive overload, the process by which you can intensify your workouts and achieve greater results. This is the best way for your muscle fibers to mend and become stronger.
Scheduling at least one complete rest day into your training program is essential, particularly if you're training hard most days throughout the week. Overuse injuries can be prevented by working opposing muscles during strength training.
Setting aside at least one day during your exercise schedule for cross-training is also a good idea. This is especially important if your training program consists of exercises where the same muscle groups are been used again and again. Switching it up will also decrease boredom and allow you to have more enthusiasm for your training.
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