cloudstrife1218
MuscleChemistry Registered Member
<center>
[h=1]Overtraining Syndrome[/h]</center>
It is no secret among athletes that in order to improve performance you've
got to work hard. However, hard training breaks you down and makes you weaker.
It is rest that makes you stronger. Physiologic improvement in sports only
occurs during the rest period following hard training. This adaptation is in
response to maximal loading of the cardiovascular and muscular systems and is
accomplished by improving efficiency of the heart, increasing capillaries in the
muscles, and increasing glycogen stores and mitochondrial enzyme systems within
the muscle cells. During recovery periods these systems build to greater levels
to compensate for the stress that you have applied. The result is that you are
now at a higher level of performance.
If sufficient rest is not included in a training program then regeneration
cannot occur and performance plateaus. If this imbalance between excess training
and inadequate rest persists then performance will decline. Overtraining can
best be defined as the state where the athlete has been repeatedly stressed by
training to the point where rest is no longer adequate to allow for recovery.
The "overtraining syndrome" is the name given to the collection of emotional,
behavioral, and physical symptoms due to overtraining that has persisted for
weeks to months. Athletes and coaches also know it as "burnout" or "staleness."
This is different from the day to day variation in performance and post exercise
tiredness that is common in conditioned athletes. Overtraining is marked by
cumulative exhaustion that persists even after recovery periods.
The most common symptom is fatigue. This may limit workouts and may be
present at rest. The athlete may also become moody, easily irritated, have
altered sleep patterns, become depressed, or lose the competitive desire and
enthusiasm for the sport. Some will report decreased appetite and weight loss.
Physical symptoms include persistent muscular soreness, increased frequency of
viral illnesses, and increased incidence of injuries.
There have been several clinical studies done on athletes with the
overtraining syndrome. Exercise physiologic, psychological, and biochemical
laboratory testing have been done. Findings in these studies have shown
decreased performance in exercise testing, decreased mood state, and, in some,
increased cortisol levels -- the body's "stress" hormone. A decrease in
testosterone, altered immune status, and an increase in muscular break down
products have also been identified. Medically, the overtraining syndrome is
classified as a neuro-endocrine disorder. The normal fine balance in the
interaction between the autonomic nervous system and the hormonal system is
disturbed and athletic "jet lag" results. The body now has a decreased ability
to repair itself during rest. Heaping more workouts onto this unbalanced system
only worsens the situation. Additional stress in the form of difficulties at
work or personal life also contributes.
It appears that there are two forms of the syndrome. The sympathetic form is
more common in sprint type sports and the parasympathetic form is more common in
endurance sports. The results from various measurements taken during exercise
physiologic testing differ between the two forms, but decreased overall
performance and increased perceived fatigue are similar. In the parasympathetic
form there may be a lower heart rate for a given workload. Athletes training
with a heart rate monitor may notice that they cannot sustain the workout at
their usual "set point." Fatigue takes over and prematurely terminates the
workout. Regulation of glucose can become altered and the athlete may experience
symptoms of hypoglycemia during exercise.
I won't comment on all of the differences between the two forms, but one
example is resting heart rate. In the sympathetic form, the resting heart rate
is elevated. In the parasympathetic form, however, the resting heart rate is
decreased. If this sounds confusing, then you are not alone. There is very
little agreement in the literature about abnormal laboratory findings.
Additionally, it is possible to have the overtraining syndrome, but have
completely normal physical findings and biochemical tests. At this point, there
is no single test that will confirm the presence of overtraining. The
overtraining syndrome should be considered in any athlete who manifests symptoms
of prolonged fatigue and performance that has leveled off or decreased. It is
important to exclude any underlying illness that may be responsible for the
fatigue.
The treatment for the overtraining syndrome is rest. The longer the
overtraining has occurred, the more rest required. Therefore, early detection is
very important. If the overtraining has only occurred for a short period of time
(e.g., 3 - 4 weeks) then interrupting training for 3 - 5 days is usually
sufficient rest. After this, workouts can be resumed on an alternate day basis.
The intensity of the training can be maintained but the total volume must be
lower. It is important that the factors that lead to overtraining be identified
and corrected. Otherwise, the overtraining syndrome is likely to recur. The
alternate day recovery period is continued for a few weeks and then an increase
in volume is permitted. In more severe cases, the training program may have to
be interrupted for weeks, and it may take months to recover. An alternate form
of exercise can be substituted to help prevent the exercise withdrawal syndrome.
All of the medical studies and advice on overtraining have involved single
sport athletes. For triathletes and other multi-sport athletes the recovery
process may be different depending on the circumstances. If it can be identified
that the overtraining has occurred in only one discipline, then resting that
discipline along with significant decreases in the other sports can bring about
full recovery. It is vitally important not to suddenly substitute more workouts
in one sport in an attempt to compensate for rest in another. The athlete that
does this will not heal the overtraining, but will drive him or herself deeper
into a hole. Overtraining affects both peripheral and central mechanisms in the
body. Resting from overtraining on the bicycle by swimming more will help a pair
of fatigued quadriceps, but to the heart, pituitary, and adrenals, stress is
stress.
As with almost everything else health related, prevention is the key.
Well-balanced gradual increases in training are recommended. A training schedule
design called periodisation varies the training load in cycles with built in
mandatory rest phases. During the high workload phase, the athlete alternates
between high intensity interval work and low intensity endurance work . This
approach is used by a number of elite athletes in many sports.
A training log is the best method to monitor progress. In addition to keeping
track of distance and intensity, the athlete can record the resting morning
heart rate, weight, general health, how the workout felt, and levels of muscular
soreness and fatigue. The latter two can be scored on a 10 point scale.
Significant, progressive changes in any of these parameters may signal
overtraining. Avoiding monotonous training and maintaining adequate nutrition
are other recommendations for prevention. Vigorous exercise during the
incubation period of a viral illness may increase the duration and severity of
that illness. Athletes who feel as if they are developing a cold should rest or
reduce the training schedule for a few days.
In conclusion, the prevailing wisdom is that it is better to be undertrained
than overtrained. Rest is a vital part of any athlete's training. There is
considerable evidence that reduced training (same intensity, lower volume) for
up to 21 days will not decrease performance. A well-planned training program
involves as much art as science and should allow for flexibility. Early warning
signs of overtraining should be heeded and schedule adjustments made
accordingly. Smart training is the path to faster times and good health.
Copyright©1998 Mark Jenkins, MD
[h=1]Overtraining Syndrome[/h]</center>
It is no secret among athletes that in order to improve performance you've
got to work hard. However, hard training breaks you down and makes you weaker.
It is rest that makes you stronger. Physiologic improvement in sports only
occurs during the rest period following hard training. This adaptation is in
response to maximal loading of the cardiovascular and muscular systems and is
accomplished by improving efficiency of the heart, increasing capillaries in the
muscles, and increasing glycogen stores and mitochondrial enzyme systems within
the muscle cells. During recovery periods these systems build to greater levels
to compensate for the stress that you have applied. The result is that you are
now at a higher level of performance.
If sufficient rest is not included in a training program then regeneration
cannot occur and performance plateaus. If this imbalance between excess training
and inadequate rest persists then performance will decline. Overtraining can
best be defined as the state where the athlete has been repeatedly stressed by
training to the point where rest is no longer adequate to allow for recovery.
The "overtraining syndrome" is the name given to the collection of emotional,
behavioral, and physical symptoms due to overtraining that has persisted for
weeks to months. Athletes and coaches also know it as "burnout" or "staleness."
This is different from the day to day variation in performance and post exercise
tiredness that is common in conditioned athletes. Overtraining is marked by
cumulative exhaustion that persists even after recovery periods.
The most common symptom is fatigue. This may limit workouts and may be
present at rest. The athlete may also become moody, easily irritated, have
altered sleep patterns, become depressed, or lose the competitive desire and
enthusiasm for the sport. Some will report decreased appetite and weight loss.
Physical symptoms include persistent muscular soreness, increased frequency of
viral illnesses, and increased incidence of injuries.
There have been several clinical studies done on athletes with the
overtraining syndrome. Exercise physiologic, psychological, and biochemical
laboratory testing have been done. Findings in these studies have shown
decreased performance in exercise testing, decreased mood state, and, in some,
increased cortisol levels -- the body's "stress" hormone. A decrease in
testosterone, altered immune status, and an increase in muscular break down
products have also been identified. Medically, the overtraining syndrome is
classified as a neuro-endocrine disorder. The normal fine balance in the
interaction between the autonomic nervous system and the hormonal system is
disturbed and athletic "jet lag" results. The body now has a decreased ability
to repair itself during rest. Heaping more workouts onto this unbalanced system
only worsens the situation. Additional stress in the form of difficulties at
work or personal life also contributes.
It appears that there are two forms of the syndrome. The sympathetic form is
more common in sprint type sports and the parasympathetic form is more common in
endurance sports. The results from various measurements taken during exercise
physiologic testing differ between the two forms, but decreased overall
performance and increased perceived fatigue are similar. In the parasympathetic
form there may be a lower heart rate for a given workload. Athletes training
with a heart rate monitor may notice that they cannot sustain the workout at
their usual "set point." Fatigue takes over and prematurely terminates the
workout. Regulation of glucose can become altered and the athlete may experience
symptoms of hypoglycemia during exercise.
I won't comment on all of the differences between the two forms, but one
example is resting heart rate. In the sympathetic form, the resting heart rate
is elevated. In the parasympathetic form, however, the resting heart rate is
decreased. If this sounds confusing, then you are not alone. There is very
little agreement in the literature about abnormal laboratory findings.
Additionally, it is possible to have the overtraining syndrome, but have
completely normal physical findings and biochemical tests. At this point, there
is no single test that will confirm the presence of overtraining. The
overtraining syndrome should be considered in any athlete who manifests symptoms
of prolonged fatigue and performance that has leveled off or decreased. It is
important to exclude any underlying illness that may be responsible for the
fatigue.
The treatment for the overtraining syndrome is rest. The longer the
overtraining has occurred, the more rest required. Therefore, early detection is
very important. If the overtraining has only occurred for a short period of time
(e.g., 3 - 4 weeks) then interrupting training for 3 - 5 days is usually
sufficient rest. After this, workouts can be resumed on an alternate day basis.
The intensity of the training can be maintained but the total volume must be
lower. It is important that the factors that lead to overtraining be identified
and corrected. Otherwise, the overtraining syndrome is likely to recur. The
alternate day recovery period is continued for a few weeks and then an increase
in volume is permitted. In more severe cases, the training program may have to
be interrupted for weeks, and it may take months to recover. An alternate form
of exercise can be substituted to help prevent the exercise withdrawal syndrome.
All of the medical studies and advice on overtraining have involved single
sport athletes. For triathletes and other multi-sport athletes the recovery
process may be different depending on the circumstances. If it can be identified
that the overtraining has occurred in only one discipline, then resting that
discipline along with significant decreases in the other sports can bring about
full recovery. It is vitally important not to suddenly substitute more workouts
in one sport in an attempt to compensate for rest in another. The athlete that
does this will not heal the overtraining, but will drive him or herself deeper
into a hole. Overtraining affects both peripheral and central mechanisms in the
body. Resting from overtraining on the bicycle by swimming more will help a pair
of fatigued quadriceps, but to the heart, pituitary, and adrenals, stress is
stress.
As with almost everything else health related, prevention is the key.
Well-balanced gradual increases in training are recommended. A training schedule
design called periodisation varies the training load in cycles with built in
mandatory rest phases. During the high workload phase, the athlete alternates
between high intensity interval work and low intensity endurance work . This
approach is used by a number of elite athletes in many sports.
A training log is the best method to monitor progress. In addition to keeping
track of distance and intensity, the athlete can record the resting morning
heart rate, weight, general health, how the workout felt, and levels of muscular
soreness and fatigue. The latter two can be scored on a 10 point scale.
Significant, progressive changes in any of these parameters may signal
overtraining. Avoiding monotonous training and maintaining adequate nutrition
are other recommendations for prevention. Vigorous exercise during the
incubation period of a viral illness may increase the duration and severity of
that illness. Athletes who feel as if they are developing a cold should rest or
reduce the training schedule for a few days.
In conclusion, the prevailing wisdom is that it is better to be undertrained
than overtrained. Rest is a vital part of any athlete's training. There is
considerable evidence that reduced training (same intensity, lower volume) for
up to 21 days will not decrease performance. A well-planned training program
involves as much art as science and should allow for flexibility. Early warning
signs of overtraining should be heeded and schedule adjustments made
accordingly. Smart training is the path to faster times and good health.
Copyright©1998 Mark Jenkins, MD
