It is important to understand that improvements and increases in strength or fitness only occur during periods of rest. If there is insufficient rest, an individual’s body will not be able to recover and will not be able to excel to its fullest capability. During periods of rest your body tries to regenerate the muscle tissue that was damaged while weightlifting or running. This regeneration process can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or even a few days. While certain guidelines can be set for how much a person should rest, only the person who is exercising knows for sure whether they are pushing their body too much. Without sufficient rest the body cannot fully restore damaged muscle tissues. When insufficient rest persists over a period of time overtraining will result. Mild overtraining can last a few days while more serious overtraining can last weeks or even months.

Overtraining can result because of a number of reasons but it has been found that it is most common within people who are dealing with both physical and mental stressors. Bodybuilders and dieters who engage in physical activities while limiting their food intake and taking a variety of different supplements are at a particularly high danger to experiencing overtraining. In addition, people within a fitness routine that are dealing with psychological stressors such as overwork, illness, menstruation, family problems, school, jet lag, or poor nutrition are also highly receptacle to overtraining.

There are a number of different reasons that a person’s body becomes overtrained. The person may be damaging the muscles quicker than the body can repair them. Protein and other amino acids within the body that help build muscles are used up faster than the person can restore them through diet. High levels of the hormone cortisol exist in the body for long periods of time. Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone that is released from the adrenal cortex found within the adrenal gland.

Symptoms of overtraining include persistent fatigue and muscle soreness also known as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), irritability, depression, insomnia, loss of motivation, decreases in appetite, sexual performance, and coordination, increases in illnesses and injuries, weight loss, poor physical performances while weightlifting or running and brain fog.

Treatment of overtraining includes allowing more time for the body to recover, taking a break from weightlifting or running for a specified period of time, reducing the volume and intensity of your training regimen, deep tissue massages, temperature contrast therapy, proper nutrition, increased caloric intake to levels greater than the expenditure of calories, and nutritional supplementation.

Overtraining is a serious condition that can occur within even the most experienced body builder. Just remember, it is always as important to lift safely as it is to lift hard.