Over-enthusiastic exercisers with a "more means better" mindset can fall prey to overtraining. Overtraining your muscles can cause a variety of negative effects to your body, including chronic muscle soreness, extreme fatigue, and decreases in performance. These unwanted results originate from continuous intense training performed without proper rest days to allow for muscular recovery. Learning the signs and early symptoms of overtraining can assist you in preventing these negative effects and ensure that you exercise your body safely.
Signs
Step 1
Monitor yourself for chronic muscle soreness. Experiencing muscle soreness for longer than your typical recovery time serves as an indication of overtraining. Ignoring this early warning sign can lead to further negative effects to your body.
Step 2
Identify overall decreases in your energy levels throughout your day. If you experience low energy levels in the beginning of your workout or constant fatigue throughout the day, your body could be trying to warn you that you're overtraining.
Step 3
Resting and training heart rates that are higher than normal are another signal of overtraining. Monitor your resting heart rate from week to week to spot higher heart rates. Also check your training heart rate during a specific exercise. Experiencing elevations during the same exercise is another indication of overtrained muscles.
Step 4
Track your muscular progress to spot overtraining symptoms. A decrease or complete stop in muscle development results signifies overtraining. Take periodic circumference measurements and keep a training log of the amount of weights used and exercises performed to monitor your muscular strength and size gains.
Step 5
Keeping an eye on your weight can assist you in identifying overtraining symptoms. Irregular weight loss when you're not trying to lose weight could signify overtraining. Track your weight every week or two to monitor your progress.
Step 6
Keep in mind your emotional health and habits during your training. Extreme overtraining can, in some cases, lead to depression or anxiety. Pay attention to your feelings and listen to friends and loved ones if these emotions are noticed.
Step 7
Pay attention to your sleep patterns. Sleeping in excess or wakefulness can act as early warning signs that your body needs recovery from training.
Overtraining Recovery
Step 1
Take at least one week off from working out if you experience overtraining symptoms. Breaks from your training allow your muscles to recover and enables your body to return to a normal state.
Step 2
Eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrates and protein during your break from training to supply your body with the nutrients needed for recovery. Muscles require carbohydrates and protein to restore energy and repair torn muscle fibers.
Step 3
Get adequate amounts of sleep. A consistent sleeping schedule that allows for six to eight hours of sleep nightly increases your recovery results. Avoid stimulating activities at night, like television and exercise, that could potentially keep you awake.
Tips and Warnings
- Experiment with different training frequencies and schedules to identify which one yields the best results for you. For example, a three-day routine may provide more results for you than a five-day schedule.
- Consult with your doctor if your overtraining symptoms last longer than one week.
Things You'll Need
- Heart rate monitor
- Carbohydrate and protein food sources
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