Home› Chat› General Chat

Overtraining - regular suffering!

MikeLMikeL Posts: 7
in General Chat
Had a use of the search function and surprisingly didnt uncover anything on this topic, so wanted to ask, is anyone a more-than-usual sufferer of symptoms linked to over-training?



I regularly (far too regularly) suffer colds etc and occasionally manage to give myself proper exhaustion... not really sure how as I eat properly, get the vits in and aim for around 8 hours sleep a night. I do aim to train every day and usually rack up about 7-10 hours a week, which shouldnt be overdoing it for the food and rest i usually get.



Does anyone have methods for preventing a depleted immune system etc? Not too happy with the "whenever i feel like im going grabbing a rest-week and the cartons of orange juice" method!

Comments

  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    Do you have a rest day during your week??

    Have you had a blood analysis done by a doctor??



    I too suffered from too much colds, periods of non-training due to sickness, ...

    Since I built in one total non-training day a week, and watch my hours of sleep, had no problems since. Or maybe I'm just lucky over the past year.[8D]
  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    You say your training every day, how many sessions and how hard are we talking?



    It could be because your body just isnt recovering. You may be doing what you consider to be fairly medium training, not too hard, but not easy every day thinking that as long as you don't go hard every day you should be ok.

    You may find it is better to alternate hard and easy days. I do very hard, very easy etc. then rest 1 day a week. I find I always have loads of energy for each session.



    I also don't do many long sessions, I save these for the weekend, I do 2/3 short hard sessions on my hard day and 2 easy sessions on the easy day.



    Remember its after the really hard sessions when you need the nutrition most, and you are most susceptible to infection. Even if you don't feel like it youve got to eat lots, including lots of protein because of the need to produce antibodies etc in the event of an invading infection.



    Some studies have linked a severe drop in blood glutamine as the cause of decreased immunity and slow recovery, So i take a glutamine tablet after i train.



    I also take an Echinachea tablet, this is a herb that was used as an antibotic prior to their creation apparently. Almost all the studies on this have produce a decreased incidence of illness.



    I'm not sure if these things work, but i rarely feel like I've overtrained and never get ill!
  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    Oh an after you have trained hard you should reduce your contact with other people for a few hours if you can, I know it sounds silly, but this is when your mostly likely to pick up bugs and often people can carry viruses without symptoms. I've heard stories of triathletes wearing masks after they train hard or races.
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    Slightly off-topic here, but about 15 years ago I had severe overtraining syndrome. This condition tends to hit the very ambitious but less informed and lessgifted atheletes. Basically I wanted to compete at the top level of international competition (lightweight rowing), and figured that training = faster, this equation worked up to a point but then it all went haywire - culminating in me (after 5 days rest) having to vomit when I went out for a 1 mile run! I went to the doctor and eventually got diagnosed as being overtrained. The cure? 10 months of nothing, however during that 10 months I learned quite a bit, got a coach and got going again. Eventually I managed a bit of low level international success. Until I retired in 2005 and got into this game (where they don't weigh you before you race).

    My advice is get a good coach, train in steps, programme rest/active recovery day per week

  • godluvsatriergodluvsatrier Posts: 199
    the only thing i seem to get all the time is achilles starts to tweak and ususally this is a sign to me that ive done too much and i rest up for a couple of days then im fine again. however at the moment im feeling exhausted. i went for a two hour bike ride after work last night and didnt have the energy to even get home!! so its pretty dangerous sometimes for energy levels to get so low. it may feel to you like 7-10 hours that you're doing a week isnt much, but to your body it may be like stretching it on a rack!! It depends how hard you're pushing yourself in those hours and how close together they are. or seems to for me. i hope you feel lots better soon though and get this niggle sorted.
  • Free WillyFree Willy Posts: 63
    Slightly off the topic, but Treefrog do not do IMNZ if you don't want to be weighed before the event, they weigh before and after to see how much weight you have lost and if you have lost more than a certain percentage they send you off for medical attention.



  • MikeLMikeL Posts: 7
    benny - blood fine as long as its the same as last years :) rest days i dont like - i might get one but i spend it looking after 2 young'uns so its not that restful i guess!



    TommiTri - Its 6-7 days a week, and its usually 1 or 2 sessions a day of about an hour - hour 1/2 each. Ranges from cardio to bodyweight/endurance weight training - lots and lots of running too, as it is the superior cv exercise ;) (don't bite, i dont mean it, honest!)

    Food-wise, cereals, eggs, lots of salads, big on chicken too.



    treefrog - any idea what steps you'd suggest, i know of a few systems but mainly for getting "massive" though, is a similar "endurance base - intensity phase - maximal ability" set up tailored more for the current discipline what you mean?



    godluvsatrier - Im not good at listening to my body until it gets liek this it seems, cheers for the well wishes though! No-one likes to be unable to train at their peak!
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    MikeL you ask what would I suggest. I would say forget about this year, use the remainder to learn skills and techniques and to read up & learn about training. Then pick 3 events for 2009 (use the 2008 calendar as a blueprint if events are not confirmed). Use the first one as a tester, the second one as an honest race and the third one as a supplementary.

    Then lay down a sound endurance foundation over the winter ie LSD - long slow distance, basically long distance at 55-75% maximum (various ways to find maximum - that's why you need to read and learn) in all 3 disciplines. This is what we in rowing call "money in the bank". The next phase is interval training (measured & structured speedwork), this is investing the money you put into the bank. The final phase is the race phase when you get to spend the money. In the first race you may spend it cautiously, in the second one you spend it to your limit, and in your third event you write cheques you cannot honour! Good luck

Sign In or Register to comment.