Overtraining

Walking a tight rope.

 That's what bodybuilding really is. You have to push yourself as hard as possible, yet if you train too hard, you could burn out, and set your training back by weeks. This is probably most common with people just starting a weight training program. They get all hyped for it, want to make gains as fast as possible, want to prove to themselves and those around them how dedicated they are, and go hard. A month later, they quit.

This is especially noticeable at the gym I workout at, which is part of a university. When all the students come back from the summer, or winter break with new years resolutions, the gym is packed for the first month. Then they start petering out.

So what is overtraining and how do you avoid it? That's what I'll cover here. I think the most important thing you can do to avoid this pitfall is to really listen to your body. If you've worked out a lot over the past few days, and you body aches, and you feel overly tired, take a few days off. Don't push yourself through those symptoms!

What is/causes overtraining?

 There are several aspects to overtraining. For one, it can be that you are breaking down muscle faster than you can repair it, which leads to excessive soreness, and a net loss of muscle mass. Not a good thing! It also has a lot to do with the nervous system. As Bill Phillips pointed out in a great article entitled 'The mind muscle connection' in the September issue of Muscle Media, overtraining is very similar to mild depression. Mild depression obviously has very little to do with muscle or training.

His theory is this, that heavy exercise breaks down, or uses up neurotransmitters faster than usual. Too much heavy exercise, and you risk using up too many of these neurotransmitters, and this net deficiency is what cause the symptoms of mild depression. Think of it this way, you nerves actually use chemicals to transmit signals, kinda like nerve juice. Now when you start running a little low on the nerve juice, you're still sending signals, albeit very weak ones. So your workouts will feel lame, cause you just don't have the necessary juice to push your muscles to the max.

This lack of nerve juice has much greater implications than just lame workouts. Nerve juice is needed for so many functions in your body, that a deficiency of it can cause serious problems. Your immune system suffers, your brain just won't work as well as it could, you'll be tired all the time, and more. I list some obvious symptoms you can look for a little later.

It's also important to realize that there are many more factors that affect your health, and can lead to overtraining/burnout, than just training to much. It can be summed up as stress. Any stress, be it physical, or mental/emotional, takes its toll on the body. Like Arnold says in 'Pumping Iron', you just have to shut out all negative energy. Don't let yourself be distracted. Maybe even practicing some sort of stress management/relief can stave off burnout.

What to do about Overtraining?

Learn to recognize the symptoms:lengthy soreness, stagnating/decreasing strength.
Avoid at all costs through proper rest and nutrition.
Don't deny that you are, don't be afraid to take a few days off.
You may have to overhaul your routine, i.e. less total sets.

How to deal with/avoid overtraining?

 The longer you workout for in an already overtrained state, the longer it will take your body to recover, and the more damage you risk to your body. That's why it is important to recognize the symptoms early. Don't think it can't happen to you cause it can! And trust me, it's no picnic. You constantly tired, yet suffer from insomnia. You are vulnerable to infections, so you get sick. Eventually your body will force you to take a break!

If you start to notice any symptoms, even just slightly, take a few days off! Depending on how bad it is, you may only need 2 to 4 days off. Wait any longer and you could be out of the scene for weeks! Not to mention that you make yourself vulnerable to injury.

There are some supplements coming out on the market to help prevent, and possibly even treat overtraining symptoms. St. Johns wort is very popular, and in Germany it outsells prozac by far for treating depression. It works by prolonging the life span of neurotransmitters, but I have heard of talk that the government is thinking of pulling it from the shelves. Go figure! DMAE or choline promote neurotransmitter production, as does the amino acid tyrosine. For more information on these supplements, see my supplements page.

Here's a list of steps you can take to avoid overtraining:

Symptoms of overtraining.

 Here is a list of symptoms of overtraining. Use it to try and be able to recognize it in it's early stages, and you won't have to take extended periods of time off from training! I will add to this list as my research brings to light new information! Stay tuned for more!