Overtraining isn’t a badge of honor, no matter how much the hustle culture tries to tell you it is. It’s a serious issue that can wreck your body, your performance, and your mind. If you’re constantly pushing your limits, trying to grind harder, faster, and longer, you may be ignoring some dangerous signs your body is giving you. But here’s the thing: Overtraining doesn’t just show up in physical form—it’ll hit you mentally too.

The problem is, many of us are too caught up in the grind to notice the signs of overtraining until it’s too late. So, how do you know if you’re overtraining? Let’s break it down. In this post, I’m going to give you the raw truth about overtraining symptoms and how to spot them early before they completely derail your progress. If you’re in this game for the long haul, then take this seriously.

What is Overtraining?

Overtraining is exactly what it sounds like: it’s when your body has been pushed too far beyond its ability to recover. When you train, you’re essentially breaking down your muscles, your nervous system, and your energy stores. This is normal, right? But recovery is where the magic happens. It’s in the recovery phase that your muscles rebuild stronger and your energy stores are replenished.

But when you keep pushing, day after day, without the proper rest, your body never gets the chance to recover fully. This results in the breakdown of your muscles, joints, and mental capacity. You start seeing signs of overtraining syndrome (OTS) which is more than just fatigue. It’s a collection of physical and psychological symptoms that can take months to recover from.

10 Signs You’re Overtraining (And What They Look Like)

1. Fatigue That Won’t Quit
   You know that feeling when you finish a workout and you’re wiped out, but that’s normal, right? Here’s the problem—if you’re still feeling sluggish, exhausted, or mentally drained hours after a workout, it’s not a normal post-workout dip. That’s fatigue from overtraining, and it’s a red flag. If you feel tired, unmotivated, or like you’ve got no energy even after a full night’s rest, your body’s telling you something’s off.

2. Muscle Soreness That Won’t Ease Up
   Post-workout soreness is natural. But if you’re walking around sore for days or even weeks after a workout, it’s a sign of muscle overtraining. If the soreness gets worse with each session and you can’t seem to recover, your muscles are breaking down faster than they can repair, which leads to diminishing returns.

3. Frequent Injuries
   Are you picking up more injuries than usual? Sprains, stress fractures, joint pain—these are all symptoms of overtraining. When you overdo it, your body’s ability to recover diminishes, making you more susceptible to injuries. It’s your body’s way of saying, “Hey, slow down, I can’t handle this anymore.”

4. Mood Swings and Mental Exhaustion
   Overtraining isn’t just physical; it messes with your mental state too. When you’re overtraining, your mental resilience takes a hit. Feelings of anxiety, irritability, and even depression can creep in. You’re on edge, anxious about every little thing, and snapping at people for no reason. That’s overtraining and mental fatigue at work.

5. Sleep Issues
   Struggling to fall asleep? Waking up multiple times throughout the night or waking up too early? Sleep disturbances are one of the most common overtraining symptoms. Your body is on high alert, pumping out cortisol (the stress hormone), which messes with your ability to rest and recover. If you’re not getting quality sleep, you’re digging yourself deeper into the overtraining hole.

6. Declining Performance
   You’re hitting the gym every day, but suddenly, your numbers aren’t where they used to be. You can’t lift the same weight, run the same distance, or perform at the same level you once did. The worst part? You don’t know why. That’s the performance decline that comes with overtraining syndrome. If you hit a plateau or your performance starts tanking, it’s time to check yourself.

7. Unexpected Weight Changes
   Overtraining can mess with your hormones and metabolism. If you’re gaining weight without changing your diet, or losing weight despite eating enough, it’s a sign that your body is no longer functioning at its optimal level. Adrenal fatigue overtraining is a common cause of weight changes. When your body is under stress all the time, it can throw everything out of whack, including your weight.

8. Getting Sick More Often
   You ever notice that people who train too hard often end up getting sick a lot? It’s because overtraining weakens your immune system. If you’re constantly battling colds or infections, you’re not giving your body the recovery time it needs to stay healthy. Your immune system can only take so much stress before it starts shutting down.

9. Increased Heart Rate or Irregular Heart Rate
   Your heart rate is one of the first indicators of how well your body is recovering. If your heart rate is consistently high during rest or fluctuating irregularly, it’s a sign that your body’s in stress mode. Your resting heart rate is usually a good measure of overtraining. If it’s higher than normal, you’re overdoing it.

10. Feeling Tired for No Reason
    If you find yourself always feeling wiped out despite getting sleep and eating well, it could be due to chronic overtraining. It’s not just tiredness. It’s fatigue that just doesn’t seem to go away. If you don’t pay attention to this early on, you’ll keep grinding until your body physically shuts down.

How to Test for Overtraining

To catch overtraining before it takes over your life, tracking your heart rate and recovery is key. Here’s how:

• Heart Rate Monitoring: Track your heart rate over time using a smartwatch or fitness tracker. If your resting heart rate is elevated, that’s a sign that your body is under stress.

• Orthostatic Test: This is a simple test you can do in the morning to check for overtraining syndrome. Take your heart rate while lying down, then immediately stand up and take it again. A large drop in heart rate indicates your nervous system is struggling to recover, which is a huge red flag for overtraining.

How to Avoid Overtraining (And Recover Like a Pro)

Now that you know what to look for, how do you prevent it? Recovery isn’t just something you tack on at the end of the day. It’s built into your routine. Here’s how to stay ahead of overtraining:

• Prioritize Rest: Take at least one or two days off each week from intense workouts. Don’t just train hard and hope for the best.

• Sleep Like You Mean It: You can’t grow or recover if you’re not sleeping. Aim for 7-9 hours of solid, uninterrupted sleep. If you’re not sleeping, you’re not recovering.

• Fuel Your Body Properly: Your body needs the right kind of fuel to recover. If you’re not eating enough, your muscles won’t repair, your energy will tank, and your hormones will go haywire.

• Mix Up Your Workouts: Stop going all-in on the same routine every single day. Your body needs variety to prevent burnout.

• Use Tracking Tools: Whether it’s Garmin, WHOOP, or an old-school heart rate monitor, track your metrics and pay attention to your body’s signals.

• Work on Your Mental Game: Overtraining isn’t just about physical fatigue—it’s a mental game too. If you’re constantly in a bad mood, anxious, or feel mentally drained, your recovery needs more attention.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Push Your Body to the Brink

There’s no badge of honor in overtraining. The grind is real, but it’s not worth sacrificing your health and performance. If you’re ignoring the signs of overtraining syndrome, you’re setting yourself up for burnout. Know when to pull back, focus on recovery, and train smarter, not harder. Your body will thank you in the long run.

Stop pushing until your body breaks down—take the time to listen, rest, and recover. That’s how you get better. That’s how you stay on top. That’s how you truly win.