To build muscle, strength and aerobic conditioning, more exercise is not necessarily better. You don't need to follow the saying, "no pain no gain", to achieve your healthiest physique. Too much exercise, or overtraining, can sabotage your training efforts and increase your chance for muscle, bone, or joint injury. The key is to exercise enough to improve aerobic and muscular function, but not too much so the body can't adapt to the workout demands.
Most experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise at moderate to high intensity (70-85% of maximum heart rate) 3 times a week to increase fitness levels. Studies have found that training 4 or 5 times a week at moderate to high intensity was no greater or only slightly greater compared to exercising 3 times a week. Aerobic fitness gains can also be safely achieved with 30 minutes of exercise at low intensity (below 70% of maximum heart rate) 5 times a week. Exercising at this lower intensity is associated with fewer injuries and decreases the risk of overtraining. Furthermore, daily exercise at a lower intensity can help with weight control and burn considerable calories.
Overloading the muscle (at 60-80% of a muscle's capacity) with resistance workouts will increase muscular strength. However, if the body is stressed too much and can't overcome the workout demands or if there's not adequate rest between workouts, overtraining syndrome can occur. If you're been exercising more and not making progress towards your fitness goals, you may be experiencing overtraining. Some other signs of overtraining include prolonged fatigue before, during and after exercise, overuse injuries, frequent illness, decreased performance, and mood changes (apathy and irritability).
To help identify or prevent overtraining, it may be useful to keep a training log and/or consult with a fitness professional. Be aware of your workouts and your progress and make a fitness plan to gradually increase your exercise intensities. Listen to your body and learn what your limits are. If you've been overtraining, the best treatment is complete rest from all activities. Take some time off until you're fully recovered and feel well enough to resume your exercise program. Depending on your symptoms, this may require a week to several weeks or even longer to rest and recover.
REFERENCES:
1. Katch F and McArdle WD. Introduction to Nutrition, Exercise, and Health, Malvern, PA: Lea & Febiger, 1998.
2. Gavalas E. The Yoga Minibook for Energy and Strength, New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2003.
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on October 26, 2006 02:34 PM
