Performing at the body’s highest level requires that the athlete tether the line between training loads that are “Overloading” / “Overreaching” the organism. Going beyond this level, is typically where athletes run into some issues, i.e. affecting the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Neuro-endocrine spheres. Thus conditioning should not be opposed, but rather be mitered, so as to stimulate the organism just enough so it can recover and thus adapt to the conditioning load, but not enough so it negatively alters homeostasis levels.
To identify when conditioning reaches a critical threshold point, i.e. over-training, it is vital that the athlete monitor his/her training on a daily and weekly basis. Therefore, systematic regular monitoring of individual responses to training loads, will allow the athlete to optimize the ideal load / “training zone”, whereby the negative impacts of conditioning will be kept to a minimum. Having said this, this is when the athlete will first off, remain healthy; secondly, the athlete can potentially “peak” for particular competitions.
In my future posts, we will delve further into the art and science of the concept of “Peaking” or Achieving superior athletic performance standards at very specific times in the calendar year, usually coinciding with high valued competitions.
THE STRESS – PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP
We are in universal agreement that in order to improve, an athlete must train. Therefore, it is safe to say that the more an athlete trains, the better they become. There is some truth to this statement, as long as the training does not exceed a critical point wherein the organism accumulates too much fatigue, from the imposed load, that it can never recover / adapt.
If conditioning becomes excessive, beyond the organism’s ability to provide systemic adaptation, then the above statement is simultaneously expressing a lie, and is indicative of the state of “overreaching.”
If this state were allowed to deteriorate further (i.e. if steps are not taken to reduce training load and to ensure proper recovery), it will place the organism into a state of over-training.
To comprehend the state of “Over-training,” one must understand several factors. The first idea being the nature of “Fatigue”, where it arises from and what are the signs. The second idea is that of the degree of fatigue, i.e. how much fatigue.
“Fatigue masks Fitness”
As mentioned earlier, Fatigue is the ‘normal’ outcome of conditioning. It is a state by which the organism has accumulated cellular waste by-products as a consequence of the metabolism of particular cellular fuel products. As long as the body can replenish the fuel source and / or remove the waste by-products, the “fatigue” accumulated is manageable. However, if the fuel source became depleted and / or the organism could no longer maintain adequate cellular removal of the by-products of cellular metabolism; the “fatigue” accumulated would be seen as a detriment to the organism’s ability to continue functioning at the same or higher rate (i.e. creating work). If this state were to continue for a prolonged period of time, eventually the organism will no longer have the reserves to contend with this reality.
The “Fatigue” in the “over-training” state is expressed in having the following characteristics:
– A disruption in the neuro-endocrine system (i.e. Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis)
This will result in several factors such as, and not limited to:
– Poor Athletic performance in competition
– Inability to maintain training loads, persistent fatigue
– Reduced catecholamine excretion
– The returning of old negative technical habits that contribute to altered motor learning
– Frequent illness
– Altered Gastro-intestinal function
– An unexplained under performance
– An increase in perceived effort of training
– An increase in muscle soreness
– A high occurrence of, and being more prone to, repetitive strain / chronic type injuries
– Altered gastro intestinal function (i.e. indigestion, heartburn)
– Altered bowel movements (i.e. the runs, constipation, gas etc…)
– A need for prolonged recovery
– Frequent infections (colds, flues infections, etc)
– Altered sleep and mood disturbance
– A loss of training and/or competitive drive
– Decreased concentration ability
– Disturbed sleep and
– Alterations in mood state (e.g. increased anxiety and irritation)
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