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The overtraining continuum: How much is too much?

๐Ÿ˜ฅ ๐Ÿ‹๏ธโ€โ™€๏ธ ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ How much is too much? The Overtraining Continuum.

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๐Ÿ’ฆ We all have felt tired from a hard training session. Acute fatigue is a normal, desirable feature from a well-programmed training plan. But when is it too much?


๐Ÿ˜ฐ โŒ At some point, after training excessively for a long period of time, the athlete can reach his/her โ€˜tipping pointโ€™ and become overreached and even overtrained. Overreaching is a state of excessive volume or intensity of exercise resulting in decreased sport-specific athletic performance. Performance can be increased again through adequate rest and supercompensation.


โ—๏ธ๐Ÿ“› Overtraining is when it all goes downhill. When the athlete really keeps pushing it and keeps neglecting rest and recovery, non-functional overtraining and even the overtraining syndrome can be reached. Symptoms depend a bit on which sports are done (aerobic or more strength/power), but usually encompasses loss of motivation, depression, increased/decreased resting heart rate, restless, awake unrefreshed etc.


๐Ÿ‘‰ Bottom line. Acute fatigue or even a period of overreaching is oke. But beware of overtraining. It is a serious issue with long-term negative effects on performance and mental state.


๐Ÿ›Œ Rest sufficiently my friends.

โ€”

Further reading: PMID: 27660501

and PMID: 23247672






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