What is Overtraining? What is Overload? How do they compare?
Overtraining and overload are very similar concepts and build off of each other. Overload would be when you train at higher levels than you normally would to try and improve your physical fitness. Progressive overload is necessary to improve strength, endurance, and fitness. It can be done in a healthy way. Overload turns into overtraining when the stress from your daily training loads and exercise exceeds your body’s ability to cope and recover.
Symptoms of Overtraining
Symptoms of overtraining can include but are not limited to not being able to complete a training session, tired and fatigued but not sleeping well, missing your “edge” or final push, irritability, depressed mood, increased PMS, weight loss or gain, recurrent illness, higher resting heart rate, muscle tenderness or tightness, vague muscle or joint pain, and weak hair/nails.
Risk Factors
Risk for factors for overtraining/overtraining syndrome are:
Early sport specialisation
Training or preparing for a big event or race
Higher skill results in higher change
Parent/Coach pressure
Large increase in load
Most common sports include swimming, cycling, running
Symptoms of Overtraining
Symptoms of overtraining can include but are not limited to not being able to complete a training session, tired and fatigued but not sleeping well, missing your “edge” or final push, irritability, depressed mood, increased PMS, weight loss or gain, recurrent illness, higher resting heart rate, muscle tenderness or tightness, vague muscle or joint pain, and weak hair/nails.
Burnout vs overtraining
Burnout is like overtraining, and they can happen separately or apart from each other. In burnout, there is more of a mental component where you lose the drive to perform. You may feel a loss of purpose, exhaustion, negative feelings, and distanced from aspects of your life. It can be difficult to tell the symptoms of burnout from feelings of depression, so do not hesitate to reach out to a health care provider for help.
Preventing Overtraining
To prevent and treat overtraining, you can:
Monitor your training load and record how you feel
Monitor and regulate nutrition, sleep, and stress
Watch for lack of progress in your training and modify as needed
Utilise active recovery or passive rest
Reduce load by 50-70% and maybe even completely
What can Physios do?
Our Physiotherapists here at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy in Dublin 4 can be vital in helping you manage your overtraining symptoms. We can provide advice and help tailor your exercise program to reduce your load, and help build you up again to where you want to be. We can aid with recovery by providing advice and techniques to stretch, foam roll, and release muscles. We can also provide manual therapy to help reduce muscle tightness, joint aches and pains, and release the physical stress you may be feeling. If you need help with your training, do not hesitate to reach out to call or book online.
Resources and References
CHAMP Human Performance Resources
Overtraining Syndrome: A Practical Guide (Kreher & Schwartz, 2012)
Sports Clinic
Our sports clinic is lead by David Richards and Elizabeth Bovich. Together they have an extensive sports background with high level athletes in Ireland and the USA.