Avoiding Dysfunctional Over Reaching
Overtraining, Functional Overreach, and Non-functional Overreach: Differences and Avoidance Strategies
Overtraining syndrome and overreaching are related issues stemming from intense physical training, characterized by a physiological and psychological imbalance due to excessive workload without adequate recovery.
Overtraining Syndrome: This condition arises from prolonged and excessive training without sufficient rest, resulting in decreased performance and well-being. Symptoms include decreased athletic performance, persistent fatigue, weakened immune system, disturbed sleep patterns, mood disturbances, and musculoskeletal injuries. Resolving overtraining syndrome often requires an extended period of rest and recovery.
Overreaching: Overreaching involves a planned increase in training load to induce physiological adaptations and improve performance. There are two types:
1. Functional overreaching: A short-term increase in training intensity or volume, followed by a recovery period to enhance performance.
2. Non-functional overreaching: Excessive training intensity and duration surpassing the body's recovery capacity, leading to performance decline and requiring longer recovery periods.
To avoid training problems:
1. Monitor Heart Rate: Regularly track resting and submaximal training heart rates to assess fatigue levels and adjust training intensity accordingly. For more detail see my Tracking Heart Rate section in the Symptoms of Overtraining Notes.
2. HRV Tracking: Heart Rate Variability can indicate readiness for physical exertion. Use HRV to assess recovery status, adjust training intensity, and plan periods of reduced training volume (de-loading).
3. Grip Test: Measure grip strength as an indicator of nervous system readiness for strenuous workouts. A significant decrease in grip strength may suggest the need for a lighter training day.
4. Symptom Inventory: Periodically evaluate overall fatigue levels using mood, soreness, fatigue, and energy levels as indicators. Scale back training if symptoms of overreaching accumulate. Stay on top of your Symptoms with this Symptoms of Overtraining Tool.
By utilizing these strategies and being mindful of warning signs, individuals can better manage their training loads to prevent overtraining and optimize performance.
For more details on how to avoid overtraining see Notes on Over Training here or read my Substack on Resiliency here.
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