Dodging Overtraining
In the last article we talked about what overtraining is and what it looks like when an athlete is experiencing it. The question now becomes, is this something that is inevitable or can it be avoided? Is there something that can be done to help prevent overtraining from occurring or is everyone just waiting for it to hit? Overtraining should not be some unavoidable fate. It is a far too common occurrence for dedicated athletes, when in reality, it should not be common at all. Starting with knowing what the signs is important but that is not the end. The next step is to see what can be done to stop it from occurring in the first place.
How does this avoiding happen? Just like all things in health and fitness, it begins with the athlete’s history both medically and in training. Understanding where they come from and how much experience they have will indicate what the next steps are (Grgic, et al., 2019). If an individual has not trained for very long, they need to be on a program that slowly and progressively builds over time, otherwise they’ll be at risk for overtraining. Where an athlete starts is critical but that more is needed. The program and progressions they are on are just as important because too fast of a progression is just begging for overtraining to occur. This is where monitoring comes in. Monitoring is the next key to avoiding overtraining as it allows the athlete and coach to keep track of how they are doing and what is the next planned step (Grgic, et al., 2019). Monitoring includes not just weights lifted but also suggested weights along with how the athlete is feeling and how they are progressing in objective measures. The key is that the monitoring is being followed. Too often people have a plan and program they are on but end up going rogue and doing more than they should which leads to overtraining. So, have a plan and stick to it. Remember that working out is not a quick fix but long-term change that comes from consistency and you can’t be consistent if you have to take time off due to overtraining.
Beyond just trying to avoid overtraining, what can be done to prevent it and work to ensure that there is consistency to training. One piece that people can do relatively easily is to add variety to their training. Now this isn’t saying to do a different workout each week because, remember, consistency in work and with exercises will bring upon maximum improvements. But variety does mean mixing up exercises that achieve the same goals or changing things in different training cycles. Another key is to maximize recovery (Grgic, et al., 2019). While this seems obvious, recovery is often overlooked because it is not as sexy or glamorous as lifting big weights and it certainly doesn’t post as well to social media. But it is the recovery, the sleep, the nutrition, the mobility work that allows your body to rebuild and grow from the stresses of training. Without recovery, the desired results will never show.
Finally, look at the big picture. Take into account everything going on in the athlete’s life, not just workouts, but school, work, relationships, family, and even current events. All of this impact the athlete not just physically but mentally as well. Talking with a certified and trained coach can be a critical tool in this journey as they will work to maximize each session and cycle for the athlete. They can be a positive outside influence to asses the athlete each day and determine the best plan of attack. They will look at the history along with the monitored variables and adjust or modify the daily work to allow the athlete to get the most out of each session. This kind of outside influence and positive voice is so important because the eager athlete will look to push harder and harder but this kind of coach will have a progressive plan in place that not only combats overtraining but is designed to build the strongest, most efficient, and resilient athlete.
Dodging overtraining is all about the big picture. Taking everything into account and working to maximize the time training. It starts with the individual athlete’s history and works to consistently progress them through training so that they are never over the threshold of what they can recover from. As this happens, performance measures along with how the athlete is feeling is being monitored so that when changes are needed, it is understood where and why each adjustment needs to be made. All this ensures that progress is never stopped. Instead, the things that need to be highlighted are and become the focus for that particular day. The company of a highly trained coach can help keep this picture in mind for the athlete as their job is to build this kind of progressive program and to know the audibles that can be called when needed. For athletes, this kind of a coach is an invaluable resource that keeps track of these variables to ensure that they never reach the point of overtraining, but instead are in a position to progress to new heights. Overtraining isn’t something that should be feared but it needs to be planned against. It can have many negative impacts and thus having a strong plan, understanding the signs so they can be addressed immediately, and taking precautionary action to prevent it, overtraining does not have to your fate.
References
Grgic, J., Lazinica, B., Garofolini, A., Schoenfeld, B. J., Saner, N. J., & Mikulic, P. (2019). The effects of time of day-specific resistance training on adaptations in skeletal muscle hypertrophy and muscle strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Chronobiology international, 36(4), 449–460. https://doi.org/10.1080/07420528.2019.1567524