By Anthoney J. Andersen – Steroidal.com
Less is more. This statement is often true for many things, including exercise. Yes, you heard correctly, exercising too much– both strength training and cardiovascular, alike – can have some harmful effects on your body.
But what is considered too much exercise?
As you push further down the rabbit hole, you’ll find examples of scenarios in which over training your muscles can be more damaging to your overall physical fitness, than beneficial. Also, you’ll discover ways to avoid these pitfalls, and decrease muscle fatigue, while speeding up your body’s recovery time.
STARTING FROM SCRATCH/STARTING OVER
Whether you’re beginning to workout for the first time, or you’re stepping back into the gym after a long absence, you’ll need to ease your body into shape. Immediately rushing toward the heavy weights will not only leave you feeling sore for the next few days (if not longer), but it’s a perfect way to strain your muscles, or give yourself a hernia.
The first thing you want to do is start with some light stretching. This allows your body to loosen up its muscle fibers.
Once you’re feeling good and loose, pick a muscle group to focus on, and then choose a light, yet comfortable weight, that will allow you to complete between eight to 10 reps.
This will get the blood coursing to your muscles and deliver you with a nice “pump” feeling, without putting too much strain on that specific muscle group.
Sticking to a strict/consistent workout schedule is the best way to see results. If you’re a novice, you’ll begin to quickly see your strength increase, and if you’re a person who has stepped away from exercising for a period of time, you’ll start to see your body’s “muscle memory” begin to take effect.
A HEALTH CONSCIOUS DECISION
Exercise can have many rewarding benefits on your body’s overall health. Not only can exercise help you live a longer and healthier life, but regular exercise reduces your risk of many health conditions, including type-2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and high blood pressure, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Additionally, regular exercise also strengthens your bones and joints, while allowing your body to achieve a more restful night’s sleep.
POSITIVE PHYSICAL CHANGES
Exercising on a regular basis can also provide your body with positive changes. Whether you’re exercising to lose weight, increase muscle tone & flexibility, or simply maintain your current physique, exercise – when coupled with a well-balanced diet – can help you maximize your full potential.
Regular exercise will also allow your body to perform everyday tasks like – climbing stairs, carrying grocery bags, and mowing the lawn – with more ease and comfort.
WHEN DETERMINATION MEETS EXHAUSTION
If you’re spending too much time at the gym, or training too hard for a sport, your body may begin to respond negatively.
According to Livestrong.com, excessive exercise has become known as “overtraining syndrome.” This syndrome has become a common factor among athletes and fitness enthusiasts – one that can manifest itself through a variety of symptoms – both physically and psychologically.
Some common warning signs and symptoms of overtraining syndrome are as follows:
- Feeling tired, drained, or lack of energy.
- Pain in muscles and joints.
- Sudden drop in performance.
- Insomnia.
- Headaches.
- Decreased immunity (increase number of colds, or sore throats).
- Decrease in training intensity.
- Depression.
- Loss of enthusiasm for the sport or fitness activity.
Pushing your body and athletic performance to new heights can be both a challenging and rewarding feeling. But when you push your body to the brink of physical exhaustion, your workout regimen will soon backfire, and actually decrease your performance/results.
According to Sportsmedicine.com, conditioning requires a firm balance between overload and recovery. If the overworked muscle fibers are not given adequate time to heal and repair themselves, then their ability to increase in size and strength will deteriorate.
WAYS TO SPEED UP RECOVERY
You may have heard that eating right before bed may not be the best thing for your diet. However, when it comes to intense training, researchers at Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands, have found that pre-sleep protein can increase the body’s amino acid levels and protein synthesis by 22 percent, which sets your body up for an overnight recovery.
HAIR OF THE DOG
According to Menshealth.com, another way to boost muscle recovery is to hit the gym at a lower intensity. When your body feels sore the next day – due to the lactic acid buildup in your muscles – it can be conducive to engage in some light weight exercise in order to promote increased blood flow and reduce blood lactate.
GET PLENTY OF SHUT-EYE
If you’re one of those people who think they can skate by on four to five hours of sleep, then it just so happens that you’re doing a huge disservice to your body. People seem to underestimate the importance of a good night’s rest. Getting a proper night’s sleep will not only help your body recover faster, but it also reduces your risk to future injuries.
So, it’s essential to aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
POWER OF H2O
Drinking water not only keeps your body properly hydrated through those strenuous workouts, but it also helps reduce calories, while energizing your muscles. According to WebMD, cells that don’t maintain their balance of fluids and electrolytes tend to shrivel, which can lead to muscle fatigue.
“When muscle cells don’t have adequate fluids, they don’t work as well, and performance can suffer,” said Dr. Steven Guest, a nephrologist at Kaiser Permanente.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana, it’s recommended that people consume about 17 ounces of water two hours before exercise. During exercise, it’s recommended that people start drinking water at regular intervals to replace the fluids lost during sweating.
THE WRAP UP
When it comes to exercising, the thing to remember is that the body needs a balance between intensity and recovery. The best way to avoid overtraining syndrome is to follow a workout schedule that varies your training load, and includes mandatory rest periods.
f you find yourself struggling with any of the physical or psychological ailments associated with overtraining syndrome, then it’s best to consult your physician, so you can figure out a solution that will be beneficial to both your mind and body.
Stay strong.
