Monday, January 09, 2017

Over Training



For a lot of people when they decide they want to get in shape it can be easy to go overboard thinking that doing more will get them results faster.  This way of thinking can be dangerous and can lead to injury, illness and even over training syndrome.

Getting fit absolutely involves lots of effort and sweat and determination, but it also involves taking time to rest and relax.  If you want to get fit and strong you need balance in your program.


Dangers Of Over Training

 

Here’s a few things that can happen when you over train and don’t give your body time to rest and recover:

1.  Injury.  Working out too much and not getting sufficient rest can lead to injuries.  When you exercise, your body experiences what’s known as micro-injuries.  If you give your body enough time to repair these micro-injuries you’ll get stronger.  If you don’t give your body enough time to repair them before hitting your muscles again with an intense workout the result could be extensive injury.  You have to include lower intensity days and at least one full day of rest into your workout program.

2.  Illness.  When you overtax your body you’re overtaxing your entire system and this can lead to illness.  If you’re noticing that you’re getting sick more often this is a definite sign that you’re over training.  

3.  Burnout.  Doing anything too much can lead to burnout.  If you’re trying to get fit and healthy burnout will put an abrupt stop to that because burnout leads to loss of motivation, and loss of motivation leads to giving up. A sign that you may be heading toward burnout is if you begin dreading your workout session.  If you’re experiencing this dread take a look at your program and see if maybe you’re doing too much.  Super intense workouts everyday will not get you closer to your goals.

4.  Decreased performance in everything.  If you’re working out so hard that you’re tired all the time you’ll become less productive not only in the gym, but also in your other responsibilities as well.  Your work, family and social life will suffer if you don’t give your body proper rest.  


Tips For Avoiding Over Training

 

Taking time to recover is crucial if you want to reach your goals and enjoy long term success with your fitness.  Your body and your mind need time off to repair and refresh so you can keep getting stronger and enjoy your healthy lifestyle.  

·         Schedule in one rest day/week.  Have one day per week where you don’t do any type of workout.  Use this day to do the things you enjoy and maybe even schedule in a massage.

·         Vary your workout intensity from day to day.  Have a mix of low, medium and high intensity workouts.  If you’re new to working out only do one intense workout per week.  If you’ve been at it for a while go ahead and do two intense workouts per week.  Schedule your low and medium workouts on the day following your intense workout.  If you do a really intense workout try doing yoga or some kind of stretching program the next day.

·         Get enough sleep.  You have to make sure you’re getting enough sleep.  When you enter your deep state of sleep (about 3 hours in) your body releases human growth hormone.  This hormone is what repairs your muscles and keeps you on the road to getting stronger.  


Workout Smarter Not Harder

 

To get results from your workouts you need to work hard but you also need to rest enough.  If you’re unsure about your program or if you’re experiencing any of the things mentioned above talk to an experienced trainer and have them help you put together a program that’s right for you.  This is your body and you need to take care of it if you want to live a long healthy and mobile life.


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