Last modified: Tuesday, July 25, 2006
The Denver Post
July 25, 2006
Too much isn't a good thing; Overtraining is counterproductive -- and sometimes career-ending
This story originally appeared in The Denver Post and also was published in the Indianapolis Star.
Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute-mile mark in 1954 on about 30 minutes a day of training. Gunder Hagg, a Swedish runner, had set the previous mile record in 1945 training mostly on his lunch hours as a firefighter. But over the past few decades, athletes in various sports have stepped up both volume and intensity in their workouts. Some contend that such heavy regimens are necessary to reach one's optimum performance. But sports psychologist John Raglin of Indiana University-Bloomington warns that overtraining often backfires, sending athletes into tailspins that can be career-ending.
To read this story, go to https://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060725/LIVING01/607250315/1083
Learn more about IU's Department of Kinesiology in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at https://www.indiana.edu/~kines/
