Top Warning Signs That You’re Overtraining At The Gym
Are there days last until after training sessions at the gym to recover? This is a sign that you may be overtraining and need to cut back. Learn more about the importance of your body’s signals that warn you to slow down, and what you can do to make your fitness routine work better for you.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it’s time to evaluate your fitness routine:
1. Soreness after more than 48 hours. It’s normal to have some soreness after a hard workout, However, if you’re still sore and in serious pain more than 48 hours after your last workout, then it’s a sign something is wrong with your exercise plan and its severity.
- This soreness shouldn’t even appear if you’ve been doing the same workouts for months.
- Muscle pain, stiffness, and soreness are signs that you’re overdoing it at the gym and may have an overuse injury. There could be micro-tears in your muscles, sprains, or other issues.
2. Lasting joint pain. Joint pain can also point to an overuse injury.
- You may need to rest and get medical attention for joint pain that doesn’t go away after a few days.
3. Backsliding results. Naturally, you want to see your workouts bring results, but you may end up backsliding if you’re overdoing it at the gym.
- For example, if you’re pushing yourself too hard and getting injured, then your results could drop from being able to do 10 laps to 5 laps at the gym. Another example is if you’re not able to lift the same weights that you could lift a few weeks back.
- Backsliding results shouldn’t be ignored because they’re a sign you’re overtraining and hurting yourself.
4. Dreading workouts. Everyone wants to skip the occasional workout and eat a bagel. However, if you dread your workouts to the point that you’ll come up with any excuse to avoid them, then it’s time to reevaluate.
- Exercise might not always be fun, but it shouldn’t make you miserable. If you avoid or reschedule all of your workouts, consider if the main culprit is that you’re overdoing it.
- You may be pushing yourself too far and want to skip the pain that comes with exercise.
- Once you start a workout, you would normally tend to cheer up because serotonin levels increase. However, if you’re not any happier while you’re doing the exercises, it’s a clear sign that something needs to change. You may need to redo your routines or cut them down to a more reasonable amount.
Adjusting Your Workouts to Avoid overtraining and Injury
If you’ve been forcing your body past its limits, you’ll benefit from seeking professional help to adjust your workouts:
- If you’re overdoing it, then a trainer can help you slow down and actually get better results.
- A trainer can work with you and push you just beyond your limits without sacrificing your health. A professional trainer knows how to avoid injuries and overuse of muscles, so you don’t create lasting damage.
- If you prefer not to hire a trainer, consider help from trusted sources online, such as videos from experts.
Exercise shouldn’t hurt your health, and overdoing it at the gym is dangerous. Pay attention to the warning signs from your body and take steps to avoid damage.
