People sometimes get so caught up in “training hard” that they ignore all the warning signs of overtraining.
Truthfully, “invisible training”, also known as “recovery” is a vital component of your fitness journey.
It literally is the thing that will make or break you, when all other things are kept constant.
Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t work hard. Of course you should.
What I’m saying is that there is a point where training more and harder will not help you reach your goals faster. There is a point where training more and harder will lead you to injuries and misery.
The good news is, your body is very good at giving you signals before you truly experience the negative effects of overtraining, if you know what to look for.
So, how do you know if you’re overtraining?
You’re tired all the time. If you’re eating properly, staying hydrated and sleeping enough, there is no reason you should feel tired all the time. Chances are, you’ve probably been training too much, too often and your body is craving a few rest days.
Your heart rate is consistently higher than normal. If you’ve been tracking your resting heart rate (in the morning) and notice that it has been 10+ BPM higher than before, chances are you’re fatigued from the cumulative effects of your workouts. Add a recovery week to your training schedule where you do easier workouts or even take a few more rest days than you normally would.
Your weight. A sudden drop in weight can be a sign of dehydration, which compromises recovery. Dehydrated blood makes your heart work harder to move it. A sudden increase in weight can be caused by sleep deprivation because lack of sleep affects glucose and fat utilization in your body.
Your sleep pattern analysis. How many hours do you consistently sleep? Ideally, you want to get between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep increases cortisol levels (stress hormone). Having too much cortisol in your system is not good for training nor performance. The number of hours you sleep before midnight is very important.
You feel an injury coming on. If you’re training hard for a long time and then you feel unusual aches and pains, which are different from “workout soreness”, then it’s time to back off for a bit.
You’re easily irritable. When you’re over tired, you’re more likely to be moody and irritable. Therefore, it’s time for some much needed rest and relaxation.
Keep in mind that these are just a few of the more common signs that you are overtraining.
Take a look at your training log and be honest with yourself: Have you been pushing your limits too far for too long?
If “yes” and you’re experiencing the above, then it’s time to add recovery to your schedule. If you have not been training that hard and you’re still experiencing the symptoms, you should see a doctor because they could be signs of an underlying health problem.