As a working mom, for so many years, I tried my best to fit in exercise whenever I had time. I’d grab an hour in the gym or fit in a class and take advantage of any workout opportunity to make sure I was getting enough exercise. I got in my “rest days’ when I was too busy with other activities to go to the gym.
My goal was just to be sure and get in ENOUGH exercise. So now , with more free time, I’ve been hitting the gym much more frequently. When my knees started hurting and I had to really push hard through a couple of workouts, I chocked it up to getting older. When I actually looked at my recent workout log, I realized that I hadn’t taken a rest day in over three weeks. After all those years of just trying to get to the gym, who knew that I would actually fall victim to overtraining; basically, exercising beyond the abilities of the body.
In the world of sports medicine, it’s called “hitting the wall” or commonly “exercise burnout”. Knowing the warning signs can go a long way in helping you recognize if this is affecting your performance.
Decreased performance: you might not be able to go as far or as fast as you used to or unable to lift as heavy a weight. (This is not lack of motivation; it’s that you are physically unable to perform as well)
Loss of coordination: Seemingly simple moves or use of equipment can become difficult. (This one was kind of difficult for me to recognize as I am always a klutz!)
Elevated morning heart rate: a surprising side effect of overtraining
Headaches:Frequent headaches, especially in the morning.
Loss of appetite: Even though I’m usually happy if I’m not hungry, a sustained loss of appetite is reason for concern.
Chronic muscle soreness: When you train, you expect to sustain a reasonable amount of muscle soreness 24-48 hours after working specific muscles, but the key to this symptom is the word “chronic”. The soreness in your muscles should ease after a couple of days.
Unrealistic expectations: This is more of an emotional response to exercise burnout, but if you are overtraining, you may expect unrealistic results like dropping 5 pounds in a week or building muscle overnight.
These symptoms tend to occur when the training, intensity, or duration of your workouts really surpass the recuperation time you need.
Remember, I said “recuperation” not total rest, but rather active rest. If you’re a runner, try a walk on your rest day. Instead of going to the weight room, play golf or tennis or try a bike ride. If not, you’ll soon see a decrease in performance and your motivation may begin to taper off.
The key is listening to your body. If you start to feel more exhausted than energized despite your best exercise efforts, it’s probably time to change up your fitness program. Your body needs time to adjust and adapt. And since so much of your progress is made during the recovery period, you need to allow time for that. Recovery time also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues.
Rest and recovery are not the same as skipping a workout. Successful athletes and fitness enthusiasts on every level build this recovery component into their training program.
Dave Spence of timetorun.com suggests the following:
• 1. Use "active recovery" to maximize time and avoid over training. Active recovery or active rest is productive recuperation performed between exercises or even between workouts. For example, gentle stretching exercises between strength exercises will allow you to rest hard working muscles without requiring total inactivity. Cross-training with fun, lower intensity activities between intense workout days will help you to recover, but still keep you active.
• 2. Vary the intensity of your workouts throughout the week. As a general rule, two or three days of hard training should be followed by an equal number of lower intensity workouts.
• 3. Vary the activities and exercises within your program. Performing the same type of exercises, at the same intensity every workout, can set you up for burnout or injury. Your body will also adapt to the same routine day after day, and you may experience diminishing returns for your efforts. Changing your activities and your routine will keep your body challenged, as it has to adapt to each new stimulus.
• 4. Take at least one actual day of rest each week. This is important for both mental and physical health. If you feel that you have to do something, try stretching, yoga or an easy activity such as a walk in the park. Your day of rest will rejuvenate you for your next few days of workouts.
Working out does wonders for your body and mind, and with proper rest and recovery, you’ll continue to feel great and see results!!
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