We all love to train. And if you don’t, you should probably learn to. But as with anything, too much of a good thing can become detrimental to what you are trying to achieve.
What we’re referring to is overtraining
Overtraining is Central Nervous System Fatigue (CNS Fatigue)
The CNS is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. In very simple terms, when you want to move a muscle, the brain sends the command down your spinal cord via neurons, which make their way to the muscle that you want to move. Skeletal muscles (the muscles that are attached to bone and move the skeleton) need to be stimulated by neurons to contract. Your CNS is therefore in constant use every time you work out, and driving this into overload, can have some reverse effects.
Being over-trained essentially means you are under recovery
What we need to realize is that every activity we do, places us under some form of stress, and we need to allow our body to recover from that stress. By not doing so, can cause more damage than good.
Symptoms of overtraining
So how do you know if you’re not getting the results you want because you’re doing too much?
Full-blown overtraining symptoms include:
- Washed-out feeling, being tired and drained with a lack of energy
- General aches and pains in muscles and joints
- Having a sudden drop in performance
- Insomnia, headaches
- Lowered immunity (so being susceptible to the everyday cold, getting sore throats, etc.)
- Decrease in training capacity/intensity
- Moodiness, decreased appetite
And the list goes on…You’ll basically be feeling crap whilst trending in the wrong direction from your goals. Not a place ANYBODY wants to be.
How to avoid overtraining
So what do you do? That’s easy. You get smart about your workouts. You lessen the time spent in the gym and increase the time in recovery. To do this though, you need to make sure the time spent in the gym is efficient and valuable. You also need to make sure that you have structure to your program, that there are reasons for why you are doing what you are doing, and that those reasons align with the results you are working so hard towards.
Nourish your body, prevent under-recovering
You also need to make sure you are fuelling up with the right foods that are going to nourish your body and make it grow. Protein is required for cell repair, as are good fats. Don’t be afraid of carbs either. All macronutrients have a role to play, and following a detailed nutrition plan that is tied in with your training program can and will make the world of difference.
It will allow for better performance during your workouts and it will aid in you reaching your goal sooner, rather than later. Not enough emphasis it put on the importance of a nutrition plan that is written specifically for your training program. This is where a good coach is invaluable. Logic tells a lot of uneducated people, that when you plateau in your workouts, you need to eat less and train more. What you should start doing if you hit a plateau, is eating smarter, and training harder – not longer.
We customize your program to your needs and goals
So I hate to break it to you, but more work doesn’t always mean more results. Restructure your program, take a step back, and with the lessened time you’re in the gym, empty the tank, give it all you’ve got, and get out. Your results will speak for themselves. Get a free 14-day trial with our coaches and start seeing results.
Contact OBF Gyms for a complimentary assessment to get started with one of our trainers today!