Overtraining syndrome

Overtraining syndrome (OTS) is a prolonged maladaptation to training that reduces performance and takes months or more to resolve.^{1Zatsiorsky, Kraemer and Fry, Science and Practice of Strength Training, 3rd ed., p. 195.} It sits at the far end of a continuum: functional overreaching resolves in days to weeks, while nonfunctional overreaching takes weeks to months.^{1Zatsiorsky, Kraemer and Fry, Science and Practice of Strength Training, 3rd ed., p. 195.} Sometimes called burnout or staleness, OTS affects several biological, neurochemical and hormonal systems and can last six months or longer.^{2Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 123.}

The most common cause is intensified training without enough recovery.^{3Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 145.} OTS often follows prolonged nonfunctional overreaching; a common programming mistake is increasing volume, intensity or both too fast over weeks or months.^{2Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 123.} It also occurs outside endurance sports: in one survey of overtrained athletes, 77% also participated in sports demanding strength, speed or coordination.^{4Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 124.}

In practice

• Watch for unexplained underperformance, persistent fatigue, increased effort during training, disturbed sleep and loss of appetite.^{5Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 125.}
• Rule out other causes first, including illness, anemia, infectious disease, injury, endocrine disorders and eating disorders.^{5Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 125.}
• No single marker predicts OTS, so track performance alongside physiological and psychological measures.^{5Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 125.}
• Rippetoe and colleagues warn that recovery from overtraining can take as much as twice as long as it took to develop.^{6Rippetoe et al., Practical Programming for Strength Training, 3rd ed., p. 44.}