Login | October 19, 2026
Insights on overtraining
PETE GLADDEN
Published: October 19, 2026
The phenomenon of overtraining can occur in virtually any sport, and therefore has long been a hot topic in the realms of exercise science.
That’s because this malady can be so darned hard to nip in the bud during its initial stages, even amongst professional athletes who fanatically monitor themselves.
Such fanaticism stems from the fact that there’s no diagnostic tests to determine the onset of overtraining, so if it’s not caught early it can eventually spiral out of control and torpedo an athlete’s entire season.
Now for most of us recreational Joes who don’t monitor ourselves as fastidiously as the pros, our lack of familiarity with overtraining’s subtle warring signs make it even more difficult to self-diagnose and remedy prior to it becoming a serious problem.
So let’s explore this overtraining phenomenon and then examine some ways with which to prevent its onset.
Overtraining can result from a host of skewed training parameters, such as lengthy periods of too much training and not enough recovery, and/or sudden spikes in the frequency, intensity, volume and/or duration of exercise activity.
Initially, the signs of overtraining can be nuanced little hints like abnormal fatigue, an increased resting heart rate and a bottoming out or a decline in one’s workout performances.
And if those subtle hints are disregarded, the overtraining can progress to something much more insidious, a nasty affliction called overtraining syndrome.
This is a condition characterized by autonomic nervous system (a part of the peripheral nervous system that regulates involuntary bodily functions like heart rate, digestion, respiration, and temperature) disruption as well as disruptions in neuroendocrine, immunological, and metabolic functioning.
And that’s just the half of it, overtraining syndrome can lead to psychological issues such as mood swings, heightened anxiety, bouts of depression and a higher risk of incurring musculoskeletal injuries.
This is usually the degree of overtraining where many recreational athletes admit, “NASA we have a problem.”
And unfortunately it’s also the degree of overtraining, because there’s a point where it’s too late to right the ship and sail out of harm’s way.
So obviously the key here is identifying overtraining in its infancy such that you don’t end up falling into the abyss of full-blown overtraining syndrome.
And as if this isn’t bad enough, there’s one more subtly here.
The signs of overtraining are as distinct as our fingerprints, so factors like lifestyle, health habits/health status and training history can have an impact in how each of us experience overtraining.
Now amidst all this doom and gloom there are several good indicators of overtraining’s onset.
A higher than normal rating of perceived exertion (RPE), meaning that your efforts just seem tougher than they normally do.
A lowering of your heart rate reserve (the numerical difference between your maximum heart rate and your resting heart rate).
A lowering of your VO₂ reserve (the difference between your resting oxygen consumption and your maximum oxygen consumption), and/or a lowering of your HR max.
Physical issues such as a "heaviness" in the legs, unexpected weight loss, reduced appetite, the occurrence of frequent colds or infections, insomnia or interrupted sleep patterns and an inability to achieve the proper heart rate during intense training bouts.
Cognitive issues like mood swings, irritability and/or a lack of interest in doing workouts.
As you can see, the warning signs of overtraining can be quite subtle, so monitoring your health & training status is of critical importance.
Now with all this being said, there are several very good ways to prevent the onset of overtraining.
First, if you’re unsure how to set up a long-range, safe and effective training routine, then employ a coach for professional assistance.
Second, if proceeding on your own make sure the training program entails sensible and evidence-based training tactics, where you periodize (structure training into discrete blocks to achieve goals, manage fatigue, and analyze change) your routine.
Third, be fastidious when balancing your fundamental training parameters - frequency, intensity, volume, duration - in order to mitigate the risk of overtraining.
Fourth, build in rest days for recovery, especially if you’re an older athlete.
Recovery is as essential to your health and performance as the training, and accepting that fact can prevent the physical and mental maladies that occur with overtraining.
So as the decades old workout adage goes, “Train harder by training smarter.”