Part of what I do for a living is teach both group and private sessions. In almost every studio I have worked, there are always two to three members who will take two consecutive classes in one day, sometimes back to back.

Any studio manager will tell you that, this behavior is not encouraged. From a business standpoint, that is one less space a different member could have utilized, but from a physical standpoint, it can lead to overtraining syndrome.

Overtraining syndrome occurs when a person trains too much, which will ultimately lead to injury. Symptoms of overtraining include fatigue, interrupted sleep patterns or insomnia, irritability, constant muscle pain, and of course, injury from overuse.

Causes of Overtraining

Why do people over-train? For starters, they may have a low self-image. Many people who over-train think that if the workout hurts, they are making progress. This is simply untrue. They may feel pressure to meet a specific goal, such as preparing for a race or an important event like a wedding. In their mind, they think that if they work out twice as hard or as long, they will get results quicker. They may even be professional athletes who are under pressure to perform at all costs.

There can also be other factors in a person’s environment where they feel that working out every day or for a period longer than 90 minutes will help manage their stress. They could also be using it as a form of self-medication.

The Three Energy Pathways

What happens to the body during a normal workout, and how long is a normal workout? A normal workout can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour. In some cases, a workout can be as long as 90-minutes. During exercise, the body utilizes three energy pathways. These are called the aerobic pathway, anaerobic pathway, and phosphagen pathway.

The aerobic pathway requires oxygen, uses carbohydrates and fat stores for energy, and can last up to 90 minutes before being depleted. In order to use this pathway during exercise, your heartrate should fall between 70 percent and 80 percent of your maximum target heart rate.

The anaerobic pathway does not require oxygen and utilizes glucose to form ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This pathway is used for explosive energetic activities such as sprinting or endurance exercise. It can last anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes.

The phosphagen pathway uses creatine phosphate to quickly produce ATP and release energy. Both creatine phosphate and ATP are stored in the muscle, but in very small amounts and can last 1 to 30 seconds for activities including weight lifting, throwing a ball, or sprinting.

So, what happens when you deplete all three pathways? Your body starts to consume itself. It will obtain nourishment from nutrients stored in your bones, fat stores, and even muscle. For example, a study was done on Tour de France cyclists, and it was determined that 50 percent of them had osteopenia due to inadequate nutrition, abnormal hormonal imbalances, and too much time spent on the bicycle. Additionally, it is theorized that because certain bones are not stressed during cycling, that the body spent less time providing nutrients to those areas versus other parts of the body that were stressed. The long term implications are unfavorable placing these cyclists are risk for osteoporosis as they get older.

Overtraining and Its Consequences

Overtraining can result in the following symptoms. They included an elevated resting heart rate, persistent muscle soreness, sleep problems including insomnia, fatigue, moodiness, injuries, and last but not least, poor sports performance and results. Simply put, overtraining will sabotage your fitness goals.

What can you do to prevent overtraining? The first thing to do is rest between workouts. During a weight-training workout, microtears in the muscle tissue are created. It takes the body 48-72 hours to recover. During the recovery process, new muscle tissue is formed creating hypertrophy, and muscle fibers will increase in diameter.

Your body benefits from this process through increased muscle mass, which in turn, increases your metabolism. Because of this, weigh-training aids in fat loss and helps build bone mass.

However, if you do not allow rest between workouts, you will consistently breakdown muscle tissue, which leads to injury (muscle strain) and tendinosis. Tendinosis is the degeneration of the tendon tissue’s collagen production in response to overuse, and when left untreated, may require surgical intervention.

How to Prevent Overtraining

Have patience with yourself. It typically takes the body 30 days to visibly notice the results of a regular exercise program.

Do not compare yourself to others. Everyone has a different genetic background and different body types. If you have a short and stocky frame (endomorph), it is unrealistic to compare your body to that of someone is is long and lanky (ectomorph).

Avoid training everyday. The body requires rest between workouts. If you have trouble sitting still, practice active rest, which includes walking, meditation, and gentle stretching.

Most importantly, make sure you eat before your workout. If you are a marathon runner or long distance cyclist, make sure you are eating or drinking your nutrition (shakes, energy gels and bars, and bananas), and to hydrate during your workout. Also, be sure to eat after your workout to aid in muscle recovery and to sustain your energy levels.

Your meal should contain lean protein and healthy carbohydrates before your workout. After your workout, aim for plenty of liquids to rehydrate your body and eat carbohydrates. You should eat a balanced meal two to three hours after you exercise. Avoid saturated fats especially before a workout, as this macro can detract from your performance.

Remember, check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Thanks for reading!