Overtraining: Enough But Not Too Much

We want our kids to get the most out of their athletic experience, but opportunities abound.  How do we know where to draw the line?

Answer: Check with your kids: physically, mentally, emotionally.

Here are some signs of the “too much” we call overtraining.

• Fatigue.  They’re too tired to go to practice.
• Increase in resting heart rate (check when get up in the morning and follow over several days) 
• Boredom or lack of motivation.  They may have falling grades.
• Decrease in self-esteem.  Unhappiness that shows in other activities.
• Frequent minor injuries or persistent muscle soreness.
• More frequent illness.

How can I keep my athlete from becoming overtrained?

• Insist they get enough sleep!  (8 hours or more is recommended)
• Encourage them to rest from training.  Multiple activities on the same day and high intensity training/competition every day invite injury.
• Don’t let them skip meals.  Provide a variety of foods and plenty of fluids.
• Encourage them to “tune into” their body.  Don’t let them ignore persistent pains
• Have injuries evaluated and treated by a sports medicine professional.  Don’t let them return to play before they have the o.k.

How can I be sure I am not overtraining my team?

• Hold pre-season sessions that encourage gradual fitness gains.
• Gauge your fitness expectations by your middling players, not the most fit ones.
• Cross train on alternate days.  Alternate hard fitness days with easier technical and tactical days.
• Be aware of what other teams your athletes are playing on during the current season.  Be in touch with the other coaches to coordinate training for double-dippers.  Both coaches lose when athletes are caught in the middle.
• Allow your players an off-season.  They will come back with more desire to play the game. 

Notes on overload as overtraining.

·        Often overtraining is not as much “overdoing” as it is under-rest.  It results in injuries.  Hard working bodies break down and require time to rebuild with greater strength.  We must allow them this recovery time.

·        Demands outside of sports contribute to the stress athlete's bodies are under.  School, family, relationship issues all take their toll. Sports can be a healthy outlet or an additional burden.  We must help our kids make healthy life choices for their bodies and keep our expectations reasonable.