Conditioning or overtraining?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Conditioning or overtraining?
5
Sun, 02-27-2005 - 9:39am

I've been mulling this over with a few trainer friends and thought I'd get the consensus of the gymrats.... :)

I've done 3 weeks of the coolrunning 5K program and will start week 4 this week. I've noticed two things in the last couple of weeks: My heart rate isn't getting as high during cardio anymore (not just with running - in general) and the little calorie tracker on my heart rate monitor says I'm not burning as many calories as I used to with particular activities (note that I do not use it as a real measure of whether I burned x amount of calories but rather as a measure of effort).

I need to check my resting heart rate but I keep forgetting to do it before I get out of bed.

So, I'm wondering if the reduced heart rate and reduced caloric burn are a result of better aerobic conditioning or possible overtraining (as I know those are two of the symptoms). Thoughts?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 7:16am

How do you feel and do you have any other symptom of overtraining?






iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 8:18am

No, I'm not doing any other interval training other than the running program (which sort of is).

I do have other typical symptoms of overtraining but I think they could be easily explained by the fact that my life is very much in upheaval right now so it's hard to tell. My RHR is a bit higher than it used to be (about 7 beats) but my DH says there is a margin of error. One of the other symptoms is that working out seems harder and I don't think it necessarily does.

My trainer friend seems to think that it's aerobic conditioning and not overtraining. You are correct about the HRM/calories burned. That's why I didn't jump to the immediate conclusion that I am overtraining. I didn't decrease my cardio when I started the running program but starting this week, I am. I have to keep reminding myself that more isn't necessarily better. :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 9:57am
it couldn't hurt to take it a bit easy (particularly because of the increase in RHR).
Avatar for soleilune
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 10:43am

Reduced HR is more often a sign of improved CV condition and if caloric burn is determined by HR then a lower HR is obviously going to indicate reduced caloric expenditure.

Common symptoms of overtraining are aching muscles and joints, increased fatigue and weakness, varying degrees of insomnia (despite the fatigue), reduced appetite, depression. There are more but these are the more common ones.

Soleilune
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 2:27pm
Good point. It's sort of easy to forget about the "other" (and very important) factors when I'm analyzing my workout stuff. :)