Overtraining: Symptoms - Prevention

We've all over-trained at least once in our lives, and we've paid for it. Overtraining is a serious problem amongst bodybuilders. Very often a new bodybuilder who thinks "more is better" is a victim of overtraining. It is important for all bodybuilders to beware of the effects of overtraining and how to prevent it.

What are some of the effects of overtraining?

If you are a bodybuilder or simply interested in packing on as much muscle mass as possible than you must be prepared to train at the highest level possible. You must be able to increase your volume and intensity in each training session and each training cycle if you wish to maximize your full genetic potential.

Unfortunately, these increases in volume and intensity often occur prior to the trainee's body being ready to handle them again. When insufficient recovery takes places, the increasing strategy immediately backfires, resulting in a variety of negative effects on the body:

Autonomic Nervous System and Overtraining

There are numerous abnormal changes that occur in the body when overtraining is suspected via the autonomic nervous system. The bottom line is that a decline in performance will be observed which will reflect changes in the neural and endocrine systems of the body that are controlled by either the sympathetic or the parasympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic overtraining can lead to

· increased resting heart rate,

· increased blood pressure,

· loss of appetite,

· decreased body mass,

· sleep disturbances,

· emotional instability, and

· elevated basal metabolic rate.

Many studies suggest that the parasympathetic nervous system is more dominant in overtraining but regardless the same performance decline will be shown in a variety of responses. Signs of para overtraining can lead to

· early onset of fatigue,

· decreased resting heart rate,

· rapid heart rate recovery after exercise, and

· decreased resting blood pressure

Just because one of these signs are present does not confirm overtraining. Often two or more symptoms must be present to prevent a false assumption of overtraining.

Hormonal Responses and Overtraining

It is difficult to confirm overtraining of the hormonal system because the measurement of these hormones is expensive, complex and time-consuming so there are not many tests that can be widely used to validate hormonal overtraining.

However, of the studies down, measurements of various blood hormone levels during periods of intensified training suggest marked disturbances in endocrine function accompanying excessive stress. When training intensity is increases the following is often noticed

· Blood levels of thyroxine decrease,

· Blood levels of testosterone decrease,

· Blood levels of cortisol increase.

Since the ratio of testosterone to cortisol regulates the anabolic process of recovery, this is a important indicator to predict overtraining. Increased cortisol combined with decreased testosterone can lead to more protein catabolism than protein anabolism in cells. This typically results in the loss of body mass because overtrained athletes have a higher blood levels of urea and since urea is produced by the breakdown of protein, this indicates increases protein catabolism.

Immune Responses and Overtraining

One of the most serious consequences of overtraining is an attack on your body's immune system. This is extremely negative because your immune system is your first line of defense against invading bacteria, parasites, viruses and tumor cells. If your immune system if compromised via overtraining than illness may occur.

Intense training and excessive training can really suppress your body's level of antibodies and lymphocytes which can result in illness when these levels are lower than normal.

Metabolic fatigue is the form of overtraining that most are aware of and the form most often discussed.

· Small micro tears in the muscle,

· Depletion of glycogen stores,

· Accumulative build up of lactic acid,

· Slower muscle contraction,

· Creatine phosphate stores are exhausted,

· Reduced oxygen delivery to muscles,

· Delayed muscle soreness

· Damaged tendons.

Overtraining Continued

	Web www.healthybiz2000.com

Site Directory

Return from Overtraining: Symptoms - Prevention to Online Muscle Fitness

© COPYRIGHT 2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED HEALTHYBIZ2000.COM