Exercise and Overtraining: What Every Athlete Should Know
September 14, 2007 by Mylene
Filed under Train Health
Although many Americans suffer the negative effects of overly sedentary lifestyles and desperately need to begin a balanced and appropriate fitness and nutrition program, a surprisingly significant number of well-intentioned and seriously committed recreational athletes (an estimated 10 percent of the American adult population, according to the American Council on Exercise) suffer from overtraining syndrome. Overtraining can be defined as prolonged exercise volume and/or intensity beyond the body’s ability to sufficiently recover, causing performance impairment and stagnation, also known as ‘plateauing.’
Medically, overtraining is classified as a neuro-endocrine disorder occurring when the balance between the autonomic nervous system and the hormonal system becomes disrupted. Physiological improvements occur during periods of rest following hard training; therefore, the practice of periodization, which involves the correct prescription of exercise volume and intensity, is essential to avoid burnout and exhaustion. According to Andrew C. Fry, “Periodization insures that the body is continually being presented with a stress that permits both progress and adequate recovery, while eliminating training monotony.
VOLUME: Research identifies two unique physiological types of the syndrome. First is the parasympathetic form, more common in endurance sports associated with high volume training, which negatively impacts the hormones cortisol and testosterone. Cortisol, the stress hormone that causes muscle breakdown, rises, while testosterone, the anabolic hormone that aids muscle building, falls. Normal resting concentrations of these hormones are vital to one’s health and fitness goals and, when compromised, may led to a variety of symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, mood swings, depression, sleep disturbances, headaches, decreases in mental focus, susceptibility to illness, decreased morning resting heart rate, changes in blood pressure, severe joint aches and pains, and excessive muscle soreness.
INTENSITY: The second physiological type involved in overtraining syndrome deals with the sympathetic nervous system, and is more common in sprint type sports and power athletes; it is a result of excessive training intensity. When weight loads become too heavy for an extended period, studies show that concentrations of catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine) become significantly elevated in order to compensate for a decrease in muscular strength. Often, an elevated resting heart rate is seen with those who suffer this condition. Although two types of overtraining exist, it is believed that the majority of afflicted athletes suffer form a combination of excessive volume and intensity, presenting an extremely complex physiological scenario in the human body.
“It is critical to understand that the “more is better” mentality will, eventually,
lead to burnout and compromise one’s fitness goals.”
Although periodization, proper nutrition, ample sleep and stress management are the best ways to prevent training burnout, a promising new and simple technique for early detection has been developed by famed Finnish researcher, Heikki rusko, called the “orthostatic test.” To perform this test, an athlete would lie still on her back for 10 minutes at the same time every day while monitoring her heart rate, which should remain unchanged for the duration of the test. Following each of these occasions, she should stand up and check her heart rate exactly 15 seconds after standing, and again 90 to 120 seconds after standing. A heart rate monitor works best because it will calculate the average heart rate during the period 90 to 120 seconds after standing. According to Rusko, when an athlete is not on the edge of overtraining, the 15-second and average 90- to 120- second heart rates are constant from day to day. Rusko, however, reported higher standing heart rates prior to overtraining syndrome, most severely in the 90 to 120 second heart rates, which increased by more than 10 beats per minute. This rise, usually, isn’t sudden, but often takes place over a four-week period, conveniently allowing an athlete to back off and avoid the pitfalls of overexertion.
TREATMENT
PASSIVE: The treatment for overtraining syndrome is rest, with two options. Passive rest consists of nothing more than light stretching and is usually implemented for more severe cases. Three to five days of passive rest is usually sufficient for short periods of overtraining lasting roughly three to four weeks.
ACTIVE: Active rest involves decreasing the volume and intensity of exercise, and often includes changes in exercise modality. For example, a jogger might perform low impact training for twenty to thirty minutes every other day, such as swimming or riding a bike, in order to allow the overstressed joints to heal. An alternate day recovery schedule usually lasts for two to three weeks until an increase in volume is permitted. In some cases, it may take months to recover and training must be interrupted for several weeks.
It is critical to understand that the “more is better” mentality will, eventually, lead to burnout and compromise one’s fitness goals. Never forget the story of the tortoise and the hare, and be mindful of the signs and symptoms of your body. When it comes to designing a fitness regiment, less can definitely be more.
Matthew Tanner has dedicated his skills and energies to professional fitness training, specializing in weight reduction and management, “square one” (getting back to exercise), home gym design and programming, and core strengthening. Matthew is currently enrolled in the Contemplative Psychology department at Naropa University and is certified with the International Sports Sciences Association.
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