Category: Strength & Conditioning
Type: Tip
OVERTRAINING AND STALENESS
In an athletic career, athletes can often undergo prolonged stress because of overtraining and the volume of games. Softball players are not different. In their quest to be the best they can be, some players spend countless hours practicing. This can lead to "staleness". The term "stale" refers to a loss of vigor, initiative and successful performance.
SIGNS OF STALENESS IN ATHLETES
- Show a decrease in performance level
- Have difficulty falling asleep
- Be awakened from sleep for no apparent reason
- Experience loss of appetite and loss of weight or overeating
- Have indigestion
- Have difficulty concentrating
- Experience nausea for no apparent reason
- Be Prone to head colds and/or allergic reactions
- Show Behavioral signs of restlessness, irritability, anxiety, and/or depression
- Have an elevated heart rate
TIPS TO PREVENT STALENESS
- Allow adequate rest time to recover from training
- Monitor signs of overtraining
- Maintain a balance between softball, family, school and friends.
- Allow free time to enjoy other activities
- Every athlete should take at least one month off per year (transition period) and do no softball
- Focus on quality, not on quantity of training
- Make sure "variety" is a part of the training regimen
- Make training fun and challenging
- Maintain proper eating and sleeping habits
- Participate in other activities
Submitted by: Marc Dagenais
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