Commonly associated with serious athletes, anyone can suffer the
strains of overtraining. Other symptoms include:
-- Depression.
-- Anxiety.
-- Anger.
-- Weight loss.
-- Decreased performance.
-- Frequent illness and/or increases in injuries.
Overtraining is most common among people who are seeking to improve
their fitness level. When individuals increase the intensity and/or
duration of their workouts, there must be a careful balance with
rest and recovery. The difficulty lies in judging each individual's
tolerance level for additional exercise. If you've recently pumped
up your workouts, the following tips can help you to avoid overtraining:
-- Get enough rest between workouts so your body has time to recuperate
adequately, and make an extra effort to get a full night's sleep.
-- Increase your exercise workload slowly. Make incremental changes
in the duration, intensity and frequency of your workouts. Many
experts recommend 10 percent as a weekly target.
-- Keep a training diary. By noting factors such as the type of
workout (running, swimming, cycling, etc.), its length and intensity,
what you ate that day, how much rest you had last night and between
workouts, and how you felt while exercising, you may reveal important
patterns that can contribute to your success.
-- Eat a balanced diet that is low in fat and high in complex
carbohydrates and protein. And make sure you have adequate hydration
of eight to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water.
-- Alternate intense workouts with lighter exercise sessions and
perform a variety of exercise activities. Cross training is a
great way to boost your fitness level while lessening the strain
on your body. Don't forget to stretch those hard-working muscles.
The following lunge is an effective, low-key exercise for strengthening
the muscles of the legs and hips.
Begin with your feet placed hip-width apart, toes pointing forward.
Take a giant step forward with one foot, so that your body is
centered between your feet. Bend your front leg slightly and keep
your back leg extended with your heel lifted. Keeping your torso
lifted and supported, slowly lower your body until your front
leg is parallel to the floor. Push down into your front heel as
you squeeze your leg muscles and lift your body back up to the
starting position. Use your abdominal and back muscles to stabilize
your torso, and your thigh muscles to stabilize your legs as you
lower and lift. For balance, you may hold onto a chair, wall or
other stable surface. Repeat the movements 10 to 15 times before
switching to the other leg. Perform two to three sets on each
leg for maximum benefits.
(Judi Sheppard Missett is CEO of Jazzercise, Inc., an international
aerobic dance instruction company.)
(c) 2000, Jazzercise, Inc.
Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate