I read this as a caption for an Instagram post that I was scrolling through the other day, and something about it stuck in my head. The premise of the comment was that you are not only an athlete for the time each day that you are actually exercising. You are an athlete for the exercise you do, the things you eat, the recovery you take and the amount of sleep you get. I really couldn’t agree more.
With at least one half-marathon, and a half Ironman on my horizon for 2019, taking a break is something that I both desperately crave, and also feel a bit panicky about. I am nervous about the event and my still-underdeveloped fitness for it, and so I am both panicking through my workouts, as well as through my rest days.
A few weeks ago, I was regrettably forced to take a rest from running, as I pulled/tweaked/pinched something in my back, and it was completely debilitating when it came to running. Frustrating beyond words, I can’t even begin to describe.
And thus, my Forced Rest Week. Which I hated (and secretly loved).
Over exercise is a real thing. You don’t have to be a pro athlete to experience the effects, nor do you always have to be doing ridiculous amounts of exercise. While it is unlikely that an average person will clinically over-exercise, it is certainly possible to over extend yourself in your ferocity, frequency or length of workouts. Large amounts of training, combined with poor stretching and after-care, can cripple even the most casual of joggers, all the way up to the ultra-endurance athletes. Burnout is also common, and can strike anyone.
What’s the difference between burnout and over exercising?
Burnout indicates that you are either overtraining physically or mentally, and can be avoided by scheduling regular rest days, as well as mixing up your workouts to avoid boredom. It’s the physical sensation of having lost motivation and inspiration to work out, and just feeling “over it”.
While burnout and over-exercising can exist separately, occasionally over-exercising can actually cause burnout, which can happen when your body indicates over-training (or under recovery) through fatigue, aches or pains, and you continue to exercise despite these signs.
Symptoms of over-exercise can include;
- Cancelling plans in order to maintain an exercise schedule
- Working out when injured or sick
- Constantly thinking about exercise
- Feeling guilty when unable to exercise
- Exercising against doctor’s advice.
- Lack of motivation
- Fatigue
- Lower performance
- Trouble sleeping
- Restlessness
- No progress, even with workout adjustments
- Increased occurrence of injury
It can be hard to tell if you’re actually burnt out, or if you’re just tired. It’s certainly something that I struggle with, and have experienced both sides of; sometimes being too lax with myself, when I’m actually just being lazy, and then at other times attempting to “push through” an injury, as I tried recently. It’s a balance I’m still figuring out for myself. The concept of “under recovery” is an interesting one, and makes me think that this is probably my problem, and it may be the same for you. Check out this article on it.
What are some tips for recovering from over exercise?
- Rest. Rest. Rest. Give your body a break.
- Maintaining good nutrition and hydration
- Sleep, sometimes allowing yourself more than usual to “catch up”.
- Reassessing your exercise routine to re-establish enjoyment from exercise
Are you concerned you might be over exercising or under-recovering? When in doubt, take a rest day. Or a few. Maintaining a good relationship and attitude towards exercise is going to be the key with maintaining good fitness levels, as well as maintaining your motivation to work out. If you’re burnt out and unmotivated, what’s the point of it all?
After taking a break you’ll come back stronger and raring to go. When your break is caused by an injury (like mine), use the time to take stock of your attitude to your training, and you’ll have the opportunity to address any missteps while you take time to heal.
Having my muscles buzzed by my new favourite gadget, ever.
Interested in athletic performance? Check out these articles on how spectator presence can influence athletic performance, and the effects of coconut water on rehydration and athletic results.
