How to Recognize When You’re Overtraining

When approaching training there is a definite idea out there one can never work too hard to get stronger.

I see it in my practice regularly when clients come in with chronic sports injuries such as shin splits, Iliotibial Band Syndrome, rotator cuff strains and many other presentations. 

Often these injuries may have been avoided if the client had recognized some of the signs of over training which lead to the body not being able to heal itself effectively after significant workouts. 

Some of these signs will seem obvious where as some indicators of overtraining can be missed. I hope by bringing your attention to these signs you’ll be able to recognize times when you need to take a step back and rest to let your body catch up.

1/ Exercise leaves you exhausted vs energized.

Ultimately exercise should leave you feeling energized not exhausted. Sure, immediately after a really hard workout you may feel tired but soon after you should feel the endorphin rush of being active. If you leave the gym exhausted or return from a run feeling drained and like you want to nap the day away, it may be a sign you are overdoing your workouts.

2/ You find you’re becoming sick easily or often.

After exercise your body expends a great deal of energy repairing the muscles you’ve worked so hard to strengthen. This takes energy away from other functions such as your immune system. When you’re overtraining your body doesn’t have the energy reserves necessary to effectively fight off the bacteria and viruses you come in contact with on a daily basis. The body is an amazing system and when treated in a balanced fashion is more then capable of repairing and defending itself from germs so if you find yourself becoming sick easily you might want to take a break to allow your body to become balanced again.

3/ You find yourself feeling down.

Typically exercise releases endorphins that cause you to feel good. If you’re finding exercises that used to leave you feeling a rush have begun to feel like a chore or if generally you’re feeling down, it may be that you’re overtraining. This may be a sign that your body is running on empty and you would benefit from taking a few days off to allow the muscles to fully recover and get some quality sleep.

4/ Your sleep patterns are disturbed (you can’t seem to fall asleep or you can’t seem to get enough sleep)

Different people can be affected differently by overtraining as far as sleeping is concerned. In some the body perceives overtraining as a stressor and releases stress hormones such as cortisol making it difficult to go to sleep. In others overtraining depletes the body’s energy stores and one is left feeling constantly exhausted and can’t seem to get enough sleep.

5/ Your legs feel heavy.

Do you feel you arms and or legs are constantly fatigued? Have you lost the “spring” in your step? Is it more difficult for you to begin exercises or maintain them? These are all signs your muscles have not been given enough time to heal properly between training sessions. 

6/ You feel sore for days after a training session.

If you have a regular training schedule that you adhere to your body should be conditioned to recover efficiently. If you feel sore for a few days after a training session this is usually a sign that you’re pushing a little too hard and you may need to take some extra rest time. 

Note: if you are just beginning a training regime it’s not uncommon to feel muscle soreness for a few days after a workout. This is why it’s suggested that one take up new activities gradually so your body has a chance to adjust to the new stresses you’re asking it to deal with.

If you become aware of experiencing these signs there is a good chance your body is trying to let you know you’re going too hard. You might want to switch up a hard workout in the schedule for something less taxing. Instead of a 5k run take a walk along the beach and enjoy the scenery. Instead of a hard day of weights think about going to restorative yoga class.