Overtraining and Recovery

Most coaches and athletes know that one component to improving performance is to progressively increase demand to the body to the point that seems unachievable. This is an intentional overload that stresses the body so it can make continuous adaptations resulting in functional improvements. This method is referred to as overreaching or functional overreaching. Training volumes and intensities increase to the point that there is a temporary decrease in performance and often followed by a taper period where a significant decrease in training volume and intensity occurs to reap the benefits of the overreaching periods. For this strategy to be successful, adequate amounts of recovery between sessions are needed. Close monitoring during these training periods are needed by coaches, athletes and supporters.

It is a delicate balance between training and recovery. The physical demands of overreaching can be compensated during the recovery period. Recovery allows glycogen stores to replete, proteins to synthesize, muscle fibers to repair and build; clearance of waste products such as lactic acid; stabilization of hormones, rest for the nervous system, time for homeostasis to return to fluid/electrolyte balance normalizing blood pressure and heart rate. When the stressors exceed recovery for too long, this delicate balance is disrupted, and inflammation increases and additional recovery is needed. The recovery deficit builds each day to a point that becomes non-functional overreaching and if continued can become what we refer to as full blown overtraining syndrome (OTS). Below is a summary of the overtraining phases.

Functional Overreaching:

• Fatigue: Increased

• Performance: Temporary decrease - should improve after adequate recovery

• Recovery: Usually days to weeks.

Non-Functional Overreaching:

• Fatigue: Increased

• Performance: Temporary decrease - stagnation of performance (plateau) after recovery

• Recovery: Usually weeks-months

Overtraining Syndrome:

• Fatigue: Chronic

• Performance: Decreased even after reduced training/taper

• Recovery: Months to unknown length of time

Although overtraining has been studied for many decades, a lot is still unknown including methods to diagnose when it is happening as well as factors that contribute to or prevent OTS. Hundreds of symptoms have been reported by athletes which make it hard to create a simple yet comprehensive tool to identify if the symptoms are typical overreaching or detrimental overloads that may have long-term consequences to health and performance. The most common symptoms of OTS include:

Physiological symptoms:

Increased resting heart rate

Increased blood pressure at rest

Delayed drop in both heart rate and blood

pressure after exertion

Reduced exercise capacity

Decreased performance levels (3-6%) even

after significant reduction in training or rest.

Muscle and joint pain - feeling of “heavy legs”

Loss of appetite

Night sweats

Weight loss

Psychological symptoms:

“Burnout”

Depression

Anxiety

Insomnia

Irritability

Restlessness

Biochemical or tissue evidence of OTS

Hormonal shifts: Decreased growth

hormone, testosterone, cortisol, serotonin,

ACTH, prolactin. Increased estradiol,

dopamine

Increased inflammatory markers: increased IL-6, IL-1B, TNF-a)

Anemia - decreased hemoglobin and hematocrit

Increased lactic acid levels

The impact of OTS

It is almost impossible to truly study the impact OTS may have on an individual long-term. Antidotally, many stories are shared such as:

“I stopped competing due to an injury after I trained so hard to get to nationals, after the injury I could never perform at the same level”.

“I quit my sport as I was just so depressed and sick all the time”.

“I was so excited to coach this team! We worked for months to get prepared, and everyone put in 120% effort during our twice a day training. We got to States and then half the team got sick and we did not perform. I wish this competition was not during peak flu season!”

“I had to pull my daughter from that environment; she was training twice a day and had no time for family or friends and was constantly irritable and stressed. She is much better now that she is just on the high school team still performing very well.”

The ideal goal would be to prevent getting to the point of injury, illness or psychological stress. The benefits of being more aware of the signs and symptoms as well as individual experiences that could increase risk for OTS can be extremely impactful. If coaches and athletes could regularly assess their performance status during overreaching more comprehensively to include not just athletic performance but also psychological and even external life factors including sleep, diet, growth spurts and stressors they may be able to make informed training choices. The benefits of this are so important to both the individual and the team. The goal is for all athletes to perform at peak, well rested and healthy at the time of competition. Additionally, long-term health (physically and psychologically) may benefit through realized personal goals and less tissue, bone or organ damage from over inflammation.

Valid Tools available for purchase

Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes: Many versions of this German original 77 item

questionnaire covering emotional, social, physical, and mental aspects of both stress and recovery.

Acute Recovery and Stress Scale (ARSS) - 32 questions (physical, mental, emotional, overall).

Short Recovery and Stress Scale (SRSS) - 8 questions (physical, mental, emotional, overall).

Summary Key Points:

• Progressive building of training volumes and intensities are required for improving performance.

• It is expected that there will be a temporary decline in performance with fatigue after the period of intentional overload.

• Recovery is extremely important and needs to be balanced with the appropriate training overload.

• Inadequate recovery can ultimately lead to OTS, injuries and long-term health consequences.

• Monitoring physical, mental and emotional states throughout the overtraining period is imperative for optimal performance status.
  

References

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Faigenbaum, Avery D. Overtraining in young athletes. How much is too much? ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal 13(4): 2009 July.

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