TRAINING AND OVERTRAINING - AN INTRODUCTION

Elite sport requires high training volumes. However. little is known a bout the relationship between training volume and performance developm ent. This relationship appears to have an inverted U-shape. Short-term overtraining or overreaching is probably associated with insufficient metabolic recovery, resulting in a decline in ATP levels. Systemic ov ertraining or staleness is attributed to failure of the hypothalamus t o cope with the total amount of stress. Clinically, a parasympathetic and sympathetic form has been distinguished. It is assumed that these two forms express different stages of staleness. No specific, simple, and reliable parameters are known to diagnose overreaching and overtra ining in the earliest stage.