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Six Physical Signs that Athletes are Overtraining and At Risk

  • August 1, 2022
  • Preparation & Recovery
CoachesParents

Michele LaBotz headshot.Overtraining is more common than you might expect in young athletes, especially athletes who are extremely focused on one sport and/or committed to multiple teams. Caught early, overtraining can be addressed effectively. Left too long, it can lead to burnout, injury, and other long-term consequences that require prolonged periods of recovery.

Michele LaBotz, TrueSport Expert and sports medicine physician, has seen many athletes struggle with overtraining and knows how difficult it can be to recover. Here, she shares the main symptoms of potential overtraining and offers some advice on how to recognize warning signs within your team.

 

1. Understand overtraining

“True overtraining syndrome affects multiple systems in the body,” explains LaBotz. “This includes effects on function of the brain and the nervous system, as well as increases in the release of stress-related hormones that interfere with the body’s ability to recover and build strength and power.”

“Overtraining doesn’t happen over days to weeks; it happens over weeks to months, often when there are additional stressors outside of sport, like issues in school, or with family or friends.” The overtraining symptoms we discuss here are ones you can hopefully spot early enough to help your athlete pull back and fully recover, rather than sinking deeper into a more difficult-to-repair state of overtraining, from which it can take months to come back.

 

2. Decreased performance

Young female soccer playing sitting and looking upset.If you have an athlete on your team who’s training hard, yet their performance is not continuing to improve, that’s an indicator the current regimen isn’t working, and overtraining is a distinct possibility. “Stagnant or decreased performance is probably the first thing that a coach is going to notice,” LaBotz says. “Coaches generally can gauge how a workout affects an athlete. For any given workout intensity, if someone overtrains, that workout is going to feel a lot harder and they’re going to struggle more to get it done.”

Keep in mind that many young athletes are on multiple sports teams, whether it’s school and club commitments for the same sport, or playing multiple sports in one season. Often, this can lead to overtraining simply because coaches are unaware of the overall training load on the athlete. If you notice other signs of overtraining and sense that an athlete is over-scheduled and over-committed, have a discussion with them. You may realize that they’re doing significantly more training than you realized, and you can help them organize their schedule into a more reasonable set of practices.

 

3. Fatigue and noticeable exhaustion

Continuous, unrelenting fatigue is a symptom of overtraining, says LaBotz. Take note of athletes nodding off during down time, as well as signs of poor sleep, like an inability to concentrate or a tired appearance on a regular basis. High school athletes are certainly prone to fatigue and exhaustion as they balance school, work, sport, and social lives, but a young athlete should be able to bounce back from a few nights of reduced sleep, while an athlete who is already on the brink of overtraining may be pushed over the edge by a couple of extra all-nighters. “Is the athlete having fatigue that’s carrying on throughout the whole day? How does the athlete feel when they wake up in the morning? If there is fatigue accumulating over time, that’s a problem,” LaBotz adds.

Tired female athlete in locker room alone.

4. Increased frequency of injury

If an athlete has a recurring injury or poor recovery from minor injuries, then it’s a strong signal that they aren’t recovering enough and are at risk of being overtrained, says LaBotz. Often, it’s tempting to try quick fixes or minimal time-off for minor injuries. But if an athlete is going through cycles of injury-recovery-play-injury, that may actually be a signal of a larger issue with overtraining.

 

5. Increased frequency of illness

Frequent bouts of being sick (e.g., recurring colds, bronchitis, or a cough that won’t go away) can signal that an athlete is unable to fully recover between practices. If you notice an athlete with a mild illness that persists or recurs, that’s a sign that your athlete may need more time off to fully recover before returning to play.

 

6. Moodiness and change in normal behavior

Lack of motivationYoung male on stadium steps alone. is a major indicator of overtraining, says LaBotz. If you have an athlete who typically assumes the role of team leader or cheerleader, but becomes less enthusiastic at practices or competitions, then it’s a strong warning sign of problems. “This can be tricky, since obviously, a lot of factors can change an athlete’s motivation. Is your athlete lacking motivation because they are overtrained, or because something else is going on in their life? This is where the art of coaching comes in: Opening the lines of communication between the coach and athlete in these cases is so important to determine the underlying cause for change in performance.”

_______________________

Takeaway

Overtraining can be hard to catch before it becomes a problem for an athlete, so pay close attention to athletes and watch for changes in performance, fatigue levels, behavior, and mood. Create an open-door policy for athletes so that they feel comfortable coming to you when they aren’t feeling great. That way, you can hopefully address issues before they impact an athlete’s long-term health and performance.

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Goal-Setting Lesson Video Transcript

Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.

So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.

By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.

Body Image Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.

So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.

I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

A Good Sport Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.

I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.

What Kind of Coach Do You Want to Be? Video Transcript

Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.

You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.

I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?

THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.

When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.