Overtraining and overuse

What are the signs you're overtraining?

The signs most often listed are a long-term drop in how well you perform, less motivation to exercise, low mood, muscle soreness and aches, poor sleep and general tiredness¹. They vary between people, so you may notice only some of them.

Two early clues are easy to check for yourself:

• A workout feels harder than usual at the same effort².
• You can start a session but can't finish it, or you've lost your usual drive². Tiredness on its own is a common experience; a loss of vigour is seen as more suggestive of a problem².

Soreness or aches that don't go away are also worth noticing.

A drop in performance that lasts is the one sign that stands out as a reliable marker of overtraining in strength training³. Performance can be anything you can judge for yourself, such as how far you walk or how many repeats you manage. If it stays down even after weeks to months of recovery, and your mood has dipped too, that points to overtraining rather than a simple lapse².

No single test confirms overtraining, and there are no standard criteria^3,4. Most of these signs were described in athletes, so treat them as clues rather than a diagnosis.

What are the signs of burnout and overtraining?

Overdoing it shows up in the body and in how you feel about exercise. Warning signs that your body needs rest include persistent muscle soreness, low energy, irritability or poor mood, sluggish workouts, and plateaus or dips in strength or stamina⁵. If you tick off a few of these, take a break⁵.

Burnout from too much exercise tends to show as a lack of drive, mental exhaustion and less interest in exercising⁶. Some recreational exercisers get so tired and lose so much motivation, with progress stalling, that they stop training altogether⁶. If that has happened to you before, it's a common pattern, not a personal failing.

The aim is to use recovery to prevent burnout, not just to fix it once it arrives⁵. In practice:

• Plan rest days into your week from the start.
• Notice fatigue, soreness or low motivation that keeps building rather than passing.
• Take a break from harder sessions when several of these show up together.
• Keep some gentle activity going if that feels right; easing off doesn't mean starting again from nothing.

When you come back, build up how often, how hard and how long you go a little at a time.

When to check with a health professional

If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first.

Unusual or persistent tiredness or exhaustion isn't something to push through, or just ease off for. Get it checked by a doctor. If you're unsure what is behind how you feel, a doctor can help work it out. If low mood, irritability or stress keeps building and doesn't lift with rest, talk to a doctor or a mental health service. If you have thoughts of self-harm, contact a local crisis line (findahelpline.com lists free services in every country) or your local emergency number.

For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. For a sore muscle or joint, stop or ease off, and get advice if it persists or gets worse.

Feeling sick, sweaty or unwell, unexplained discomfort, or breathlessness or dizziness that doesn't settle during or after activity are not things to ease off for. Use the emergency advice below, or, if it has settled, see a doctor soon.

Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe.

If you're worried, start with activities that are supervised or supported, and don't be afraid to ask for help⁷.