overtraining

P90X and Overtraining—a Real Concern?

P90X is a tough workout program; there’s no question about it. There will be days where you don’t want to finish a workout, where you’ll feel tired before you even begin. There’s a difference between lack of motivation and overtraining, however, and knowing the difference is pretty important. So, is P90X and overtraining syndrome a real concern or should you not even worry about this commonly used term?

Let’s talk about overtraining. Overtraining syndrome is when you work your body too hard and don’t give it time to recover. You have to balance your workload with your body’s ability to recover. Without this balance you will see a decrease in your performance and even your fitness results. So, how do you know when you’ve been struck with overtraining? There are several symptoms:

  • Lack of energy
  • Drop in performance
  • Moodiness
  • Decreased immunity
  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Increased injuries

It’s easy to feel tired sometimes and when you’re doing P90X, muscle soreness becomes the new normal. But this isn’t always a result of overtraining. Paying attention to your body is essential and you will be able to recognize the difference between overtraining and normal side effects of being an adult and living a busy lifestyle.

Fortunately, P90X and overtraining rarely go together. This is because the program has built in rest days. Also, you aren’t using high intensity interval training or strenuous cardio every single day. You are varying your workouts when you’re on P90X specifically to increase your results and avoid overtraining.

Is P90X and overtraining possible? Sure. But it’s just not likely. When you take care of yourself like the P90X program recommends, your injuries and setbacks should be few if any. Everything from the P90X diet to the workouts and the recommended supplements are designed with your complete health in mind. Although the P90X program is tough—it won’t kill you and is made to make you healthier not the other way around.

If you are really concerned that you may have overtraining syndrome, take a day off. Use the stretching workout and relax. Be certain that you are getting enough of the right foods in your daily diet and take care of your body.

 

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P90X and Overtraining: Possible but Highly Unlikely

j0409661Overtraining is defined by Wikipedia as a “physical, behavioral, and emotional condition that occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual’s exercise exceeds their recovery capacity. The term is defined differently depending on where you look, however. Overtraining basically amounts to is working harder than the body can keep up with. If your body can’t recover from workouts you will eventually hurt your progress or injure yourself. Because P90X is a tough workout program, we have heard that some are concerned if P90X and overtraining go hand in hand. The short answer: no.

 

Overtraining is much more than working out hard. Elite athletes workout consistently day in and day out and seldom, when trained properly, do they suffer from overtraining. The intensity of your workout doesn’t always increase your chances of overtraining. P90X and overtraining is not any more common than overtraining from running, in that regard.

 

The key to preventing overtraining in any fitness program is listening to your body and resting when appropriate. Every good training program should have easy days or rest days built in. P90X does this with occasional days off. For some people, believe it or not, rest days are punishment. For others, they are a blessing! When the P90X calendar tells you to take a day off, do it. The days off aren’t just to give you a chance to relax—they are there to prevent overtraining and injury.

 

Another way in which P90X prevents overtraining is through muscle confusion. If you were a weight lifter and did heavy squats day after day, you would likely overtrain your quads. They would stop responding to the workouts and possible even decline in health. You may even injure them more easily. By switching up the routines from day to day, P90X ensures maximum progress and minimal risk of overtraining.

 

Overtraining is possible with nearly any workout system. However, by sticking with your P90X calendar and recognizing when your body needs a break, you will find P90X and overtraining to be an extremely rare occurrence.

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What is “Overtraining” and How Do I Avoid It?

Overtraining, mostly found in weight trainers, runners, and serious athletes can lead to injury and physical exhaustion. When training, whether for an athletic event or for weight loss, people sometimes get over anxious and quit listening to their body. Being aware of what causes overtraining can help you avoid it and minimize time spent on the sidelines. Listening to your body and being aware of its limits will reduce the chance of overtraining. The truth is: the body only makes improvements during rest times. Yes, seriously. The benefits of all of that heavy lifting and those situps happen once you stop. When you are training, tiny tears occur in the muscles. During periods of rest the body repairs these tears, similar to patching drywall or welding metal. These reinforced areas become stronger than they were pre-trauma and this is where the benefits of training come in.
 
When you fail to give your body time to heal, you not only fail to make progress, you actually start to do damage. Weight training without recovery periods is like punching holes in the wall without taking the time to patch them up. Good fitness routines account for this by having rest days or periods of cross training.
 
Another key in being able to recognize overtraining before it happens is listening to your body. When you don’t pay attention to how your body feels, you increase the chances of injury and other symptoms of overtraining. A twinge of ankle pain may turn into a sidelining injury if precautions are not taken when the pain first starts. Adjusting your workouts to cater to any overly sore muscles or joints will protect you from injury associated with overtraining.
 
Keep in mind this doesn’t mean you have to take a whole day off of exercising every other day. It just means that you don’t want to work the same muscle groups everyday consistently or you may push them too hard. This is why many routines will have you do shoulder and back one day followed by legs the next. If you did shoulders and back three days in a row you would be missing out on the recovery period and pushing those muscles to the point of potential injury.
 
Keeping the science of muscle gain in mind can help prevent overtraining. In order to make progress, your muscles must repair themselves. Without repair comes further damage and possible injury. Overtraining can have you completely out of the exercise game for a long period if not cautious. By learning to alternate workouts and listening to your body, you can prevent overtraining and get the maximum benefit from your fitness routine.
 

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