- Image courtesy of cyclingtr.com
This series of blog posts will address the concepts of overtraining.
What exactly is a “great workout”? It could mean something very different for everyone. Whether you are looking for sweat and a feeling of fatigue, getting a great pump, or just feeling more alive than when you started, everyone has a different idea of what they are looking for in a workout.
The individual’s goals and perceived adaptations from the workout will likely play a large part in their satisfaction with the workout as a whole. However, will the anticipated adaptation of the exercises always be the resulting adaptation? In other words, are the results you think you will get (burn fat, tone and sculpt, build muscle, increase energy, prevent injury) the same as the results you will actually get?
Note: The manipulation of training variables in order to achieve a specific desired adaption will be discussed in a later post. At this moment, I am addressing the issue of overtraining.
Will a “great workout” always lead to great results? Simply put, no.
1) Not everyone has the same idea of what makes a “great workout”.
2) A “great workout” may not provide the appropriate stimulus for your desired results.
Understanding the specific adaptation caused by the manipulation of training variables will allow you to align your anticipated adaptation with the results you are striving to achieve. In other words, if you know what the exercise is doing to your body you can make sure that is what you want to have happen. If you feel like you are having great workouts but are not getting the results you want check to make sure you are providing the correct stimulus. If your first reaction is that you need to start working harder, well… read on.
- Image courtesy of 59percentoverweight.blogspot.com
Will working harder always lead to better results? Once again, no.
1) Working harder could put you beyond your ability to recovery from the workout.
2) The stimulus may not be what is needed to create the desired adaptation.
Overtraining is essentially training beyond one’s mean to recovery. If this is continued for a long enough period of time, progress will stop and you will likely start taking steps backwards!
- Image courtesy of charlespoliquin.com
How to recognize overtraining:
1) Increase in resting heart rate
2) Lower motivation and energy than normal
3) Decreased performance
4) Feeling “out of it”
5) Trouble sleeping
6) Soreness lasting for days
7) Loss of appetite
8) Decrease in body temperature / metabolism
Hard work will not get you the results you are looking for if you are doing the wrong work. If you are unsure how to manipulate training variables to achieve your desired adaptation be sure to ask for help, research on your own, or check back for my future post on this topic. Start doing the work that is appropriate for your body and goals and start seeing results like never before.
Watch for Overtraining Part 2: Understanding Overtraining, Coming Soon!
Remember: Exercise creates an environment for change in the body; nutrition and lifestyle allow that change to take place. You cannot out-exercise a bad diet, and you cannot out-eat a bad lifestyle.
Tony Cates is a business management major at Edgewood College in Madison, WI. He is a certified personal trainer, performance enhancement specialist, and the S&C Coach for Edgewood College Men’s Basketball. He can be reached at catestony@gmail.com or (608) 852-7433.
This article may be reproduced with biographical information intact.
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