Symptoms of Overtraining
Overtraining is one of the most misunderstood concepts in bodybuilding. The word ‘overtraining’ is casually thrown around in gyms by broscientists warning people who are working too hard.
Most of these broscientists don’t understand what overtraining means. You don’t have to worry about overtraining if you perform a few more reps and sets once in a while. Overtraining isn’t easy, you have to push yourself to the limits to overtrain your body. Your body can take much more than you can imagine.
Weak Nervous System
Here is the Wikipedia definition of overtraining; “Overtraining is the result of giving your body more work or stress than it can handle. Overtraining occurs when a person experiences stress and physical trauma from exercising faster than their body can repair the damage.”
Your central nervous system takes a big hit if you overtrain. You will find yourself falling sick often as your immune system weakens. If you are keeping ill and can’t understand the reason, you should consult a doctor.
Prolonged Muscle Soreness
Your recovery takes a big hit if you’re overtraining. Your muscles might be sore even after a relatively light workout. The soreness might remain for more than a couple of days which can affect your other workouts.
Taking recovery supplements is a good way of handling muscle soreness. Your muscles only repair when they are properly rested. Soreness is a sign that your muscles aren’t recovering, which can set you back on your muscle-building journey.
Exhaustion
Overtraining can make you feel exhausted all the time. If you have been overtraining, you will feel tired even when you wake up in the morning. Extended exhaustion periods can lead to many other problems like loss of concentration, motivation, and depression.
If you’ve been feeling exhausted for no particular reason, it’s a good idea to stay away from the gym for a couple of days. You definitely will return to the gym feeling more motivated than ever before.
Altered Heart Rate
In cases of overtraining, you might also experience altered heart rates. It is a good idea to use a heart rate monitor to analyze your heart rate while working out and throughout the day.
It is normal to have a high heart rate while you’re doing a HIIT workout. But if you’re experiencing an unusually high or low resting heart rate, it is a matter of concern, and you should consult a doctor at the earliest.
Injuries
Overtraining can make you weak which can lead to weaker muscle tissue and joints. If you are overtraining, your body doesn’t get enough time to recover and recuperate from your workouts which can re-aggravating old injuries.
Lifting heavy weights or pushing yourself too hard in the gym can cause frequent injuries. Muscle rehab is your only option if you find yourself in a place like this. Try adding forced rest periods into your routine and change the intensity of your training. If you’re into the active lifestyle, you could try switching to active recuperation sports which are low intensity.
Do you have any symptoms of overtraining? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.