As a coach, your job is to provide a training program for your athletes that gradually pushes them to improved performance, which may include getting bigger, stronger, and/or faster. Generally, such training programs require that you stress their muscles to the point of fatigue. The goal is that after a period of recovery, their muscles will then adapt to the training load and their performances will improve. Overtraining syndrome occurs when an athlete remains fatigued for an extended period.  Within two hours of exercise, dietitans say athletes should eat a meal that is high in carbs, moderate protein and a serving of low fat dairy. 

Overtraining symptoms

How do you know if one or more of your athletes are in the throes of overtraining? Common overtraining symptoms include:

• Decreased performance
• Loss of appetite
• Irritability and mood swings
• Difficulty concentrating
• Lingering muscle soreness
• Depression
• Severe fatigue
• Insomnia or poor sleep
• Decreased desire to train
• More frequent colds and flu
• Frequent overuse injuries

Factors that contribute to overtraining

• The causes of overtraining can include a combination of physical and psychological stresses. 
• Physical stresses include too high a volume of training in a given period of time, or training that is too intense. For example, a 10-20% increase in training volume over a few weeks is too much too soon. Adding two new elements simultaneously to a workout, or too many high-intensity workouts in a week without adequate recovery, can send an athlete over the edge.
• Too little sleep; travel and jet lag; dehydration; poor eating habits before, during, or after exercise; illness; injury; surgery; and medication use also can contribute to the problem.
• Psychological stresses run the gamut from financial pressure to family, job, and school responsibilities; trouble with coaches or teammates; the death of someone close.

Overtraining can be prevented in your athletes by being on the lookout for early signs and symptoms, and by building in adequate time for recovery - whether that is a day, a week, or more. Athletes need time and proper nutrition to rebuild and to respond to their training. Recovery, just like training, is a critical part of the process of improving athletic performance.

Read more about managing overtraining here...

WINForum recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for coaches, athletes, parents and trainers that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for peak performance. Visit www.winforum.org for more.