Are you the type of athlete that has a need to always practice, weight lift, or do some kind of cardiovascular workout? Does your mind tell you that training and training and more training will make you feel better? Do you also tell yourself that rest or sitting around is bad for you? If you answered yes, you might have what is known as overtraining syndrome, "staleness," or "burnout."

Overtraining occurs when there is a continuous, excessive overload of exercise without proper rest and proper nutrition. Many people fail to adapt to the stress sustained during high intensity training because they don't give their bodies enough time to adapt and recuperate. A poorly designed program consisting of a rapid increase in volume and intensity, consistently high volume training, and insufficient time for rest and recovery can lead to the body shutting down. Other factors that will increase your chances for developing overtraining syndrome are frequent competition, pre-existing medical conditions, poor diet, environmental stress, and psychosocial stress.

With all these factors and living in a world filled with stress, how do you know if you have this syndrome? There are many signs and symptoms with overtraining, but the primary element is the unpredicted drop in performance. A person can train and compete at the same level as they are use to, but they will have greater difficulty in maintaining the performance. Other signs and symptoms include excessive muscle fatigue, increased resting heart rate, trouble sleeping, depression, anxiety, increased weight loss, frequent injuries, and illnesses.

Overtraining syndrome is not something that is hard to treat. First off, it is always wise to consult a physician if it is suspected. This can rule out any disease or illness that can be caused by overtraining. Recovery will take at least two weeks depending on how severe the case is. Your activities should be extremely limited, if not discontinued during this time frame, and proper rest and nutrition should be given. A diet of low fat and high carbohydrates is recommended because of the depleted glycogen level over the period of time.

Early recognition will prevent any damages that could affect the body. To prevent overtraining from occurring, have an alternative workout schedule with proper rest for the body in between. Training should alternate from a heavy workday to a light workday. Good nutrition complete with complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, and protein should be part of the diet. Proper hydration is a must! A person exercising should take in at least 8 servings,12 fl oz. each, of water per pound lost. Increases in training should be progressed slowly so the body has time to adapt. To increase in training, one should use the 10 % rule. The 10 % rule is an increase of 10% in either intensity, duration or volume in one workout session at a time. Intensity, duration, and volume should not be increased at the same time. Most importantly, educating yourself about proper exercise is a key. And listen to you body... It will tell you when it's had enough!

References

Overtraining: Feel the Burnout! - The Washington Post
http://www.acsm.org
http://www.planetkc.com
http://www.eatel.net