Psychological aspects of overtraining

Overloading and overreaching are common in athletic training and result in feelings of fatigue during current and/or subsequent training sessions. With adequate recovery the body AND MIND will adapt to overloading and overreaching. On the contrary, overtraining is when the body OR MIND is pushed beyond current limits; but the push is too extensive, or there is insufficient rest and recovery for adaptation to occur. Most athletes and coaches recognise when overtraining has occurred and schedule a deliberate recovery period. In some circumstances however, overtraining can go unnoticed. Moreover, some people don’t realise or acknowledge that the mind, as well as the body, needs adequate rest and recovery.

Psychology behind overtraining

Some athletes deliberately overtrain with the false belief that there is a direct linear relationship between the amount and intensity of training and performance benefits. That is, they believe that more training always leads to improved performance. However, many factors influence performance improvements, including recovery.

Lack of understanding around overtraining impacts some people’s decisions to train in this manner, but other factors also impact their ability to identify the intensity of sessions and the impact on the body.

Some athletes are relentlessly driven to find ways to enhance performance at the expense of their physical and mental health. Some influencing factors may be

• Perfectionism traits or tendencies
• Compromised feelings of self-worth
• History of success or of perceived failure
• Fear of failure
• Expectations (real or perceived) from self, coaches, parents, organisations or spectators.
• Pressure to succeed, achieve or give 99% every training session depending on physical and mental state.

Physical and Psychological impacts of overtraining

Overtraining can lead to:

• Injury and illness
• Lack of motivation and enjoyment
• Stress, changes in mood, compromised mental health and changes in sleep quality
• Performance decrements
• Burnout

Recovery

If you suspect an athlete may be overtraining,

1. Begin with education about the practical, physical and psychological impacts of overtraining
2. It might be useful to suggest some simple changes like ensuring a rest day is incorporated into training, checking nutrition and sleep are intact and encouraging the athlete to enlist support people.
3. For consistent and lasting recovery, the athlete will most likely benefit from meeting with a sport psychologist to understand and explore the underlying factors contributing to the behaviour. Please be in contact if you would like to make a referral.

Prevention is better than cure – Education and development of mental skills can help prevent overtraining. Please be in touch if you would like to know more.

 

References: Weiß, M., Büttner, M., & Richlan, F. (2024). The role of sport psychology in injury prevention and rehabilitation in junior athletes. Behavioral Sciences, 14(3), 254. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14030254

 Mason, L., Connolly, J., Devenney, L. E., Lacey, K., Jim O’Donovan, Faulkner, M., & Doherty, R. (2025). The sleep, recovery, and nutrition characteristics of elite adolescent athletes. Sports, 13(2), 50. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13020050

Pilkington, V., Rice, S., Olive, L., Walton, C., & Purcell, R. (2024). Athlete mental health and wellbeing during the transition into elite sport: Strategies to prepare the system. Sports Medicine – Open, 10(1), 24. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-024-00690-z

Symons, I. K., Bruce, L., & Main, L. C. (2023). Impact of overtraining on cognitive function in endurance athletes: A systematic review. Sports Medicine – Open, 9(1), 69. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00614-3

Book read mental skills are often not enough…

Sport Psychologists regularly teach and support athletes with mental skills. Mental skills including attentional focus strategies, goal setting, arousal control, imagery and self-talk are essential for effective performance. They enhance enjoyment, goal attainment, balance and commitment.

Whilst, basic mental skills can be learned from reading a book or listening to a podcast, to be most effective, mental skills can be individually tailored to the sport, the individual, the specific need and the environment in which they are being used. Sport Psychologists are aware of the specific needs of athletes of all ages and stages. Registered Sport and Exercise Psychologists have studied the specific needs of athletes and performers and can assist with tailoring mental skills to an individual’s specific needs, personality, coping and environment.

Mental skills alone however, will not fully support an athlete.  If an individual’s mental health or well-being is not optimal, the effectiveness of mental skills will be limited.

Sport and Exercise Psychologists are educated and aware of the specific mental health issues that impact the active population, such as performance pressure, perfectionism, identity, transition stages, body image and refocusing. They can help identify, assess and address underlying cognitive, emotional, personality, perpetuating and self-limiting factors that impact enjoyment, satisfaction, motivation, confidence and effective performance.  

Research also indicates that

• early teaching of mental skills and strategies the promote positive mental health and well-being increases likelihood of reaching our later when needed.
• positive, open attitudes of support people to help seeking behaviors lead to more help seeking when needed.

Contact us to speak further.

Reifsteck, E. J., DeAnne, D. B., Seo, Y., Beisecker, L., Rao, N., & Chandran, A. (2023). Call it an “Evolution”: Promoting student-athlete well-being during the transition from collegiate sport. Journal of Athletic Training, 58(9), 697-703.

Pilkington, V., Rice, S., Olive, L., Walton, C., & Purcell, R. (2024). Athlete mental health and wellbeing during the transition into elite sport: Strategies to prepare the system. Sports Medicine – Open, 10(1), 24.

Introducing Alicia

Alicia is a provisionally registered psychologist completing her psychological internship at Focus Performance Psychology. This internship year follows 5 years of APAC accredited psychological study on the pathway to full general registration as a psychologist.

Intern Psychologists with FOCUS Performance Psychology engage in weekly supervision with Senior Psychologists,

• participate in specialised professional development programs
• and have daily contact with senior psychologists.
• Their treatment plans are discussed and reviewed regularly with their supervisor
• and they provide individual consultations at a reduced rate of $135 (however no medicare rebates)

Alicia has a long interest in both high performance and human behaviour –and enjoys working in partnership with individuals who seek to enhance their performance by attending to the mental side of their game.

With an extensive background in elite and professional sport, Alicia understands the pressures of high performing environments and understands both the challenges and triumphs it can present.

Alicia adopts a caring and friendly approach when working collaboratively with clients in the phases of setting behavioural goals, providing psychoeducation, and developing psychological skillsets tailored to their performance goals and needs.

It is Alicia’s hope that her work with clients will foster athlete independence in applying their new knowledge and skillsets to bring about improved performance and help reach their personal goals.

If you would like to make an appointment with Alicia please be in contact. 

What is an intern psychologist?

In Australia, the term intern psychologist is used to describe a provisionally registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) who is undertaking a period of supervised practice to be eligible for general registration.

To achieve full registration as a psychologist in Australia, one must undertake a minimum of 4 years APAC accredited psychological study, by which time they may qualify for provisional status. At the end of 4th year of study, there are two pathway options to full registration:

1. Complete a further two year post-graduate Masters program

OR

 a fifth year of an accredited Masters program, plus a full year of psychological internship.