Covid-19 Update
Gary and I patiently await the government’s decision on when we can return to hands on and face to face appointments. The treatment couch is being re-upholstered this week and we will have handtowels and hands free soap dispenser.
We will let you know as soon as we have a date to re-open the clinic, along with Covid-safe requirements that will need to be adhered to.
Recognising Over-Training
Whether training to keep fit or training towards a goal, its easy to fall into a trap of over-doing it. The feel-good factor we get from training can become addictive especially when we are facing challenges in other areas of our life.
If you are sick or taking antibiotics you should rest until you have finished your course of antibiotics, this will give your body the time it needs to recover. Your return to training should be gradual, ideally starting back at 30-50% effort levels and increasing weekly by 10-20%. Trust me you will get back to feeling fit and performing better far quicker with rest than pushing yourself through illness and infection!
Sudden life events and changes like increased commute, intense work deadlines, change of shift pattern, new babies and needing to care for family/friends can also lead you down the path of over-training - if there is increased demand in an area of your life you may need to tweak your training to allow yourself time to recover/balance out the demands in your life.
Whilst training produces many health benefits:
I personally make better food choices when I am training hard as the sugary snacks I otherwise tend to lean towards repeat on me and don’t give me as much energy as more nutrient dense foods.
Improved circulation, possibly increased cardiovascular strength
Stronger bones, muscles and tendons.
Improved focus
Perhaps improved self-esteem
Improved stamina and resilience for day to day tasks as well as training
Some of the problems too much training can lead to:
Loss of appetite, nutrient deficiencies
Excessive weight loss
Irritability, depression
Increased resting heart rate
Metabolic imbalance
Loss of monthly cycle (in women)
Lower immunity, leaving you vulnerable to infections and virus
Decreased performance
Insomnia/trouble sleeping
Signs to help you spot overtraining:
Elevated resting heart rate
Moody/ trouble sleeping/constant tiredness
Persistent injuries
Fatigue – no matter how much sleep you get, every training session feels like an effort.
Constant infections/viruses which seem to take longer to go away
Lack of motivation for training and sometimes life in general
How to Recover
Its very easy to get sucked into over-training especially with endurance events like marathons and ironman where the training schedules will at times require you to train with and through fatigue, in order to prepare you for the mental and physical endurance required to complete the event.
If you or friends/family notice the above symptoms then taking a short break from the intensity of your training can help you to recover. Unless you are sick, you do not necessarily need to rest completely, halving your mileage and training intensity for a week or two may be enough for you to recover your energy.
Having a good coach can help you to achieve your goals with a sensible training plan and if you regularly discuss training and performance with them, they should notice when your training needs to be adapted to allow you to perform at your best.
Stay Safe and we hope to give you a clinic re-opening date soon
Sharon