Short-Term Overtraining & the Effects on Performance

Short-term overtraining is a physiological condition. It occurs when athletes and bodybuilders do strenuous and prolonged exercise, resulting in their putting too much stress on the body. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between normal postworkout fatigue and overtraining. Keeping a daily training diary and communicating closely with exercise coaches help athletes and their trainers to determine if an exercise regime is too demanding. It also enables them to take action before short-term overtraining becomes a problem.

  1. Causes

    • Short-term overtraining can be brought on by repeated training sessions, particularly if athletes and bodybuilders don't allow sufficient time to recover. Other causes include a sudden increased in training load without allowing time to adapt to the new regime and closely spaced competitions. Lack of sleep, anxiety and jet lag can also contribute by placing additional stress on the athlete's body. Overtraining causes a depletion in muscle glycogen: a molecule stored in muscle cells that increases energy during strenuous exercising and helps maintain blood glucose levels. Glycogen depletion as a result of too much exercise causes extreme fatigue and poor performance.

    Effect on Performance

    • The fatigue caused by short-term overtraining is the primary cause of decreased performance. Exercise programs that are normally manageable become a struggle. Athletes can also become moody, depressed and irritable, which impact performance. People who overtrain need longer rest periods between exercise sets and their muscles feel unusually sore and stiff during and after training. Sufferers are more susceptible to infections, particularly upper-respiratory conditions, leaving them unable to perform, because the condition places stress on the immune system.

    Prevention

    • A training program that allows enough time for rest and recovery, particularly when someone is training intensively, is essential. Athletes should drink plenty of water after training, or a glucose-electrolyte replacement drink.

    Treatment

    • Plenty of rest and a decrease in the training load for a couple of weeks is an effective treatment for short-term overtraining. The athlete should also pay close attention to nutrition, ensuring that he is getting the vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates his body needs. Vitamin and mineral supplements may be prescribed in some cases.