By Marnie Kunz,
NASM-certified trainer, USATF-, RRCA-certified running coach

Overtraining is the leading cause of running injuries, but what is overtraining, you may be wondering. This guide will explain overtraining and give you tips to avoid overtraining and stay strong and healthy in your fitness program. Whether you’re a marathon runner, 5K runner, or weightlifter, overtraining can cause your body to break down and make you more vulnerable to injury. Overdoing your training can also lead to increased muscle soreness, exhaustion, burnout, and depression. Many people I train have fallen into the overtraining trap at some point, so I’ll also go over some of the common overtraining mistakes to avoid so you can stay running strong and healthy.

What Is Overtraining?

Overtraining is when you push too hard and train beyond your body’s ability to recover. What is overtraining for runners? It occurs when you increase your mileage or intensity too quickly and your body cannot recover fast enough before you do more workouts. Increasing your training load too quickly can lead to many short-term and long-term health issues.

If you lift weights, overtraining may look like adding too much weight too quickly to your program without allowing your body to adjust gradually. Weightlifting, speed workouts, and long runs are considered "hard training days," and these intense training sessions should be followed by recovery days to avoid overtraining.

Overtraining is a common recipe for running injuries and burnout.

Overtraining syndrome, or OTS, is defined as “a condition in which an athlete or fitness client experiences fatigue, declining performance, and burnout,” according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine Essentials of Personal Fitness Training. Read on to learn the many different signs of overtraining.

Overtraining in Runners

For runners, adding more than 10 percent to your miles from week to week can be classified as overtraining. So if you run 10 miles one week and add 10 more miles to do 20 miles the next week, for instance, this is increasing your miles too quickly. Also, doing hard workouts in a row - such as a tempo run one day and a long run the next day, followed by weightlifting, would qualify as overtraining.

Oftentimes when I meet with new running clients, they are running on their own and are pushing the pace in every single workout. It’s important to take rest days and easy days to allow your body to recover from hard training workouts. Similarly, not taking any rest days can lead to overtraining syndrome, where your body breaks down and cannot recover fast enough before your next workout.

Instead of improving your fitness level, overtraining can lead to loss of enthusiasm, general fatigue, poor sleep quality, agitation, anxiety, decreased appetite, and mood disturbances. Symptoms of OTS (overtraining syndrome) can be far-reaching, affecting your physical and mental health.

Symptoms of Overtraining

If you’re overtraining, you may feel like no matter what you do, you can’t make progress in your fitness level. You also might have ongoing injuries or feel mentally exhausted and uninspired in your workouts. There are many signs of overtraining, and you may have a few or a combination of them.

According to researchers, overtraining syndrome is complex and a variety of factors can cause the physical deconditioning that often occurs with overtraining. There is no simple measure to determine if you’re overtraining so knowing the signs can help you slow down, rest, and seek medical care if needed.

Here are some of the common signs of overtraining:

Physical Signs

Low energy and feeling exhausted in workouts.
Struggling to get through even “easy day” workouts.
Lingering stiffness, soreness, and ongoing muscle tightness.
Recurring pain or injuries such as calf pain, strains, stress fractures, shin splints, or joint pain.
An increase in resting heart rate or resting blood pressure.
A lowered immune system, leading to recurring illnesses, such as colds, infections, and viruses.
Digestive issues such as loss of appetite, constipation, diarrhea, and an increase in thirst.
Undesired weight changes such as weight loss.
Change in menstruation such as irregular periods or no periods.
Problems sleeping, which may include insomnia.

Mental Signs

Unenthusiastic about workouts.
Lack of motivation. Difficulty getting motivated to run or work out.
Lack of confidence, feeling like you’re not making progress.
Mood changes including irritability, moodiness, or restlessness.
Feeling burned out on fitness.
Difficulty falling asleep at night.
Experiencing body dysmorphia or disordered eating.
Feeling compelled to exercise for intense or long workouts at the expense of other areas of your life.

Overtraining can cause a host of physical and mental health issues, as you can see from the list. According to researchers, OTS may be caused by systemic inflammation and subsequent effects on the central nervous system, including depressed mood, central fatigue, and resultant neurohormonal changes.

If you experience ongoing effects of overtraining or have physical or psychological pain, consult with a doctor or physical therapist to make sure you get treatment. Now that you know what is overtraining, learning to identify some of the signs can help you change your training program as needed and take more rest time to recover.

Tips to Avoid Overtraining

These tips can help you prevent overtraining syndrome and stay healthy and happy with your fitness program:

Follow the 10 percent rule. When adding miles or intensity to your workouts, add no more than 10 percent from week to week. So if you run 15 miles per week, for instance, you can add 1.5 miles - or 10 percent - to run 16.5 miles the next week.
Use a training plan. Following a professionally designed training plan will help you stay on track and improve your fitness without overtraining. Certified fitness professionals can help you meet your goals in a safe, sustainable way.
Take at least one rest day a week. Rest days are important to allow your body to recover from hard training days. Take at least one day a week when you don’t do any formal workouts.
Sleep. Most people do not get enough sleep, which slows down workout recovery. If you need help sleeping, try listening to a meditation app or talk to your doctor if you are still struggling to sleep.
Eat well. Proper nutrition will help fuel your workouts and improve your muscle recovery. Choose foods that are rich in nutrients - lean proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats - as well as vitamins and minerals. If you are doing intense workouts, it’s especially important to stay fueled and eat well.
Take care of your mental state. If you’re experiencing exercise addiction, disordered eating, or body image issues, speak to a trained mental health professional for help.
Practice self-care. A little self-care can go a long way in helping your body and mind rejuvenate from overtraining. Take an extra rest day when you need it.
Vary your training. Doing the same workout and intensity every day will lead to burnout mentally and physically. Follow the easy-hard principle of training and do some easy workouts and some harder ones.
Seek treatment. If you have an injury or lasting pain, see a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment.
Listen to your body. The most important principle of training is to listen to your body. If you feel exhausted, take a rest day. It’s better to miss one day of training than to sustain an injury that could last weeks or even months.

Ways to Improve Muscle Recovery

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Prevention is crucial to reduce your risk of overtraining syndrome. Boosting your muscle recovery can help your body and mind bounce back from training with resilience and reduce cortisol buildup and hormone imbalances that occur with overtraining. Here are some strategies to improve your muscle recovery:

Use a foam roller to work out tension in your muscles. Focus on areas where you feel tightness and soreness when you're rolling.
Hydrate well. Stay hydrated before, during, and after your workouts and this will improve your recovery. Carry water with you on long runs and any time the weather is hot and humid.
Cross train. Cross training gives your body a break from the repetition of running while maintaining your fitness level. Try low-intensity cross training workouts for active recovery, such as restorative yoga or pilates.
Use compression garments. Compression boots, compression socks, and other gear with compression can improve your blood circulation and speed up recovery.
Try recovery footwear. Recovery slides can be a game changer for easing foot pain and soreness. I tried recovery slides for my foot and nerve issues and they helped a lot.
Sleep more. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of sleep a night and more if you feel tired. Sleep is the best way to naturally restore yourself.
Use a heating pad or heat packs on sore muscles. This helps stimulate blood flow and reduces joint stiffness and muscle spasms. Note that it's best to use ice - not heat - within the first 48 hours after an injury, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Take ice baths. Cold helps reduce inflammation and is one way you can speed up your recovery after workouts.
Get a massage. Sports massages are an excellent way to reduce muscle tension while relaxing your mind.
Rest. The best way to recover from intense workouts is to rest. Take as much rest time as you need for your body to feel rejuvenated.

Now that you understand what is overtraining, you can take steps to take care of your health and prevent injuries.

Do you need a training plan to help meet your fitness goals without overtraining? Visit the Runstreet Training Center to get your own customized training plan to help you become a stronger athlete.

Have you experienced overtraining? Tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your workouts and get cheered on. Happy - and healthy - running to you! 😊👟

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

What Is Overtraining and How to Avoid It