Distinctions
Overtraining is divided into sympathetic overtraining (basedown) and parasympathetic overtraining (addisonoid). Sympathetic overtraining is rather temporary and characterized by increased heart rate, sleep disorders and organ-related complaints. Parasympathetic overtraining tends to be chronic and is characterized by depressive components. The latter are more difficult to diagnose due to their lack of symptoms.
Cause
An established diagnostic program does not exist until today. Since overtraining is linked by multifactorial causes and different symptoms, a uniform diagnosis is almost impossible. An examination of the athlete through personal discussions and tests of his or her state of health can be helpful in finding a diagnosis. There is a standardized questionnaire POMS (profile of mood state), which can be helpful in this respect.
Therapy
There is also no special drug therapy. Treatment with food supplements and antidepressants is not recommended. However, it is advisable to eliminate the causes of overtraining.
A change of load (temporary change of sport) is also recommended over a short period of time. In some cases the overtraining is chronic and can last for months. Depending on the degree of overtraining, the therapy can vary in its nature and length.
A sports medical examination is strongly recommended. First and foremost, the body must be given sufficient time to compensate for all the stress and overtraining. In less severe cases, a training break of about one week is usually sufficient.
Doping in no way represents a treatment of overtraining. In case of overtraining, a break should be taken immediately. If the athlete is in an early stage of overtraining, an absolute training break of several days is recommended.
An absolute training break means the renouncement of any kind of sport and intensive movement. Alternatively, the training can be significantly reduced in intensity and scope and can only be continued with little stress until the athlete feels recovered. However, it also happens in isolated cases that overtraining is only recognized very late.
In some cases, the excessive ambition of the athlete is the problem and they ignore the signs of overtraining. In such cases, whether in endurance or strength training, the athlete should take a break of at least two months so that the body can recover completely. A maximum recovery period of three months is sufficient to restore the body’s full performance.
In order to avoid overtraining, you should above all know your body well. The decisive factor for sporting success is always an optimal balance between stress and recovery. Nobody can say exactly how long the breaks after training really are.
The individual regeneration times for the different muscle groups play a role. If these are known, a corresponding recovery after training can be guaranteed. This is often only possible for experienced athletes who have been training for many years and therefore know their body well.
It is somewhat easier to pay attention to a few important points in order to avoid overtraining. Especially after training, the body should have enough sleep. Sufficient sleep ensures a good recovery and prevents overtraining.
Nutrition also plays an important role. If you supply your body with the right nutrients after a workout, it will be easier for it to regenerate. To counteract overtraining, you should also try to keep the stress level in everyday life as low as possible.
Stress favors overtraining in the long run, because it prevents the organism from regenerating. And above all, the training plan should be chosen in such a way that there is always enough recovery between the individual training units. One should always rely on the body’s own stimuli.
If the musculature hurts, training is strongly discouraged. As a rule, 24 to 48 hours are sufficient to regenerate supra-threshold strong stimuli. Too strong stimuli lead to severe muscle ache and therefore require longer regeneration times.
This does not mean, however, that strength training or endurance training should not be noticeable. If you follow these simple rules, you can easily avoid overtraining. Natural bodybuilding is a good way to train the body naturally, healthy and without the help of doping and other substances.
