When Everything Falls Apart

Sébastien is a 29-year-old who recently discovered the world of fitness. At first, his workouts were occasional—three to four hours a week. But over time, he became more committed to training at the gym.

He soon discovered the Perfo room and added three functional training sessions per week to his schedule, along with outdoor running. Each week, Sébastien gradually increased his intensity. After six weeks, however, he started experiencing sleep issues, a loss of appetite, and growing irritability, which his friends and family began to notice. Thinking it would pass, he pushed through and kept training, ignoring the signals his body was trying to send.

One morning, Sébastien woke up—but his body refused to follow. He was completely exhausted. Unsure of what was happening, he consulted a doctor. The diagnosis: overtraining (not a big surprise). Overtraining occurs when rest periods are insufficient for recovery, or when training is poorly planned or unbalanced.

Does Sébastien’s story sound familiar? Maybe it hits close to home? Contrary to popular belief, overtraining doesn’t just affect elite athletes—it can happen to anyone. The human body is a remarkable machine, but it needs one essential thing: time to adapt. Even when motivation is high, if you simultaneously increase both the duration and intensity of your workouts without allowing enough rest, there’s a good chance you’ll end up unable to recover properly, with declining performance to show for it.

Not every workout should be an all-out effort. Recovery-focused sessions are just as important for helping your body adapt and, ultimately, perform better.

Am I Training Too Much?

There’s no universal formula to measure overtraining, since factors like gender, training history, genetics, and individual progress play a big role in your personal threshold. However, if you suddenly lose the desire to train, feel less motivated, experience appetite loss, or feel constantly tired, it’s time to stop and evaluate what’s happening.

As someone who’s passionate about fitness and endurance sports, I’ve personally experienced overtraining in my early years. I can now tell you with confidence: rest days are just as valuable as your most intense training sessions. At the end of the day… listen to your body. Your health is your greatest asset—make sure to protect it.

Happy training!