Signs of an Overtrained Athlete

The 100m Freestyle Swim event at the olympics is a fast race. It is an all out effort that is over in a little less than a minute. It is an extremely competitive race where the difference between gold and irrelevance is tenths of a second. So to be able to be the best in a sport where the margins are so thin requires a work ethic and mindset that is second to none. 

Simone Manuel became one of those people when she won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. However, in the build up to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, her body started breaking down as she struggled just to make the team. She then only managed to earn a bronze medal on the USA 4 x 100m relay team. A far cry from the 2 gold and 2 silver medals she’d won in Rio.

Following the Tokyo games, Manuel was forced to take a seven month break from any physical activity to allow her body and mind to fully recover. 

True overtraining syndrome is rare, but it is usually accompanied by some similar signs. Athletes tend to think in order to get better you just need to push harder and do more. This, when taken to the extreme, makes it harder to then recover properly before training sessions. What then follows is a decrease in performance along with a lack of motivation. Which can then cause a vicious cycle of thinking the athlete needs to work harder, and digs a deeper hole. This, combined with a lack of proper recovery and adequate nutrition can lead to overtraining syndrome.

While a true diagnosis of overtraining syndrome is rare, it is still something we need to be aware of to see the warning signs before we’re too far gone. So what are some ways that athletes can manage their training and lifestyle appropriately to continue to see progress and enjoy the sport they love so much?

First is to find a good coach and/or training program that understands the balance and needs between intensity and volume. Following a responsibly designed program that can appropriately modulate and progress through various stages of your competitive season is one of the easiest ways to ensure you won’t dig yourself into a hole that you can’t get out of. In our sport for example, it’s easy to simply drive intensity at all costs, and do a bunch of workouts that don’t make sense together each day. Any of our PRVN tracks can be trusted to meet you where you’re at and help you responsibly make progress towards your goals.

Next is to be sure you are properly fueling your body for the demands of your sport and training program. We tend to get locked in on what other athletes look like in our space. And with that, we try to guess what we should be eating in order to look a certain way. However it is extremely important to properly fuel our bodies, and this typically comes with MORE calories rather than less. With this, our bodies will become exactly what it needs to become based on the demands of our sport, which means something a little different for everyone. An under-fueled body inhibits our ability to perform and recover. It is recommended to speak with a credible nutrition expert to determine what is best for your body.

Lastly is to ensure we are able to recover and manage other stressors in life. One of the best ways to recover properly is to create a routine in our life. Making sure that we take in a post workout shake. Having a set time and routine for how we go to sleep each night. Meal prepping on the weekend to set ourselves up for success during the week. Our ability to settle into healthy routines is the easiest way to take the guesswork out of recovery.

We’ve all got into fitness because it was something that we enjoyed. Something that made us feel better. The last thing we want is to end up having this gift of movement become a burden and a net negative on our life. So take a breath, find a good community to join that can help you on your journey, and enjoy progress in the gym over the course of your life. 

**UPDATE**

After writing this piece, Simone went on to win the US Olympic Trials in the 50m freestyle to qualify for the Paris Olympics. 

Find this type of support, education, training programs, supplements, and more at www.prvnfitness.com.