Logic assumes that overtraining comes with inherent pain, injury and physical limitations. What I have seen over the years is quite contrary in many cases. The signs and symptoms of overtraining are more often substle, ciumulative, and serious. Here are three key, not so subtle, signs to look our for when you are training hard.
1) Sleep quality and Duration. When an athlete is training hard it is imperative that they pay as much attention to sleep as they do to the gym or the trails. Science and physiology are in agreement that 8-9 hours of quality sleep are the best for adequate recovery and hormone rebalancing. A key sign of overtraining is when both sleep duration and quality are limited. If an athlete is finding it hard to stay asleep for more than 4 hours or if you are experiencing unusually vivid dreams and restless sleep, there may be a chance that overtraining is hurting you.
2) Performance decline. Pain in the joints and muscles is many times the last place where overtraining will show itself. What I have found to be more prevelant is a substantial decline in overall performance during training sessions. As we overtrain, our hormones (endocrine system) are supplying all the chemicals that our muscles and brain need to keep moving at their best. Just as any fuel reservoir, when it is empty... you are done. For example, the adrenal system which supplies the hormones necessary for muscle contraction can be overused to the point where significant kidney damage can occur and hospitalization is required. If an athelte is not performing at their usual standards, I certainly encourage an active rest day where low intensity or mobility is suggested rather than sticking to a schedule.
3) Weight gain and immune deficiency. A sick athlete is a sidelined athelte. Just as overtraining can contribute to a decrease in performance, it can also show up in the form of a cold, flu, and forced bed rest. Hydrocortisone is a hormone also released by the the adrenal glands which controls the way your body balances your metabolism and keeps your immune system fighting off disease. Overtraining can depleate the availability of this key hormone, overwork the glands and cause massive shut downs in your body. I have seen stellar athletes gain weight and get sick in the middle of a training cycle because they have not managed their rest appropriately. Not surprisingly, most are either teenagers or working parents.
Overtraining is a serious problem when an athelte becomes hyper-focused on a goal or a set benchmark in a cycle. Managing recovery through proper nutrition, sleep, and good coaching is important. Unlike other aspects of training, everyone is suseptible to this. Train smart, Balance training to life and know when to say when!
2/26
Baseline:
6 min Quality AMRAP
5 Kip Swing Bar OR Rings
5 Hollow Rocks
5 Divebomber Push Ups
5 Elbow To Instep W/ Reach
**Spend 6 Minutes Reviewing Gymnastic Movements and scaling
Gymnastic Strength:
16 Min EMOM
1- Toes To Bar 10-14 reps
2- Pistol Squat 10-14
3- Wall Climb or HS Walk :30-:35 seconds
4- Muscle Ups 2-5 reps
WOD:
10 Min AMRAP
Pull Ups
Burpee Over Box
3-6-9-12-15-18....
4/27
Baseline:
Agility Warm Up @ 10m Each
High Knee Pull
Quad Pull
Squat 180 **stepping the leg high over hip, swing opposite leg to 180, squat
High Knees
Butt kickers
Marching High Kicks
Groiners
Straight leg shuffles
Fig 4 Drill
Lateral Shuffle
Carioca
Lateral Bounding
Sprint W/ Change of Direction
**Spend 6 Minutes Covering the Press series.
-work up to workout weight
WOD:
For Time,
800 m Run
1X
10 Shoulder to Overhead 115/75
13 V Ups
16 Wall Ball
Rest 1 Minute
600m Run
2X
10 STOH
13 V Ups
16 Wall Ball
Rest 1 Minute
400m Run
3X
10 STOH
13 V Ups
16 Wall Ball
***If you bad, do GHD sit ups.
4/28
Kettle Bell Warm Up:
10X At Each W/ light KB
Head Circles 'L'
Head Circles 'R'
Trunk Rotations
Up right Rows
Press 'L'
Press 'R'
Romanian Deadlift
Squat Up and overs (outside right foot, up and over to outside left foot)
Single Leg Deadlift
Goblet Squat
Lateral Lunges
Windmill 'L'
Windmill 'R'
Sit Ups
Snatch 'L'
Snatch 'R'
Squat Jumps
Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Hip Bridge, Ankle Rotations, PNF, Squat W/ T Spine Rotations
**Spend 8 Minutes Reviewing Double Under Progression
-singles (wrist Rotation)
-high Jump Singles (Hollow Body Position)
-cadence 3 single/ 1 DOuble
-Cadence 2 single/ 1 DOuble
-cadence 1 single/ 1 double
-DUBS
WOD:
100 Double Unders
50 Kettlebell Swings
50 Goblet Squat
50 Kettle Bell Swing
100 Double Unders
