Too Much Of The Good Stuff? Why High Intensity Training Works Best in Moderation
There is no doubt that High Intensity Training carries benefits that are good for your fitness & good for your body. One of the most common is it improves your stamina & strength. READ MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS HERE
However, in this post, we are not going to cover the rest of the benefits of engaging in High Intensity Trainings. Rather, we are going to cover why it’s important to practise this in moderation and go through some of the signs & situations where it might be beneficial for you to take a step back, go slower & engage in a mild, lighter training.
Stressors
Before we dive into this, allow me to briefly discuss what stressors are and what it has to do with High Intensity Training.
A Stressor is either a chemical agent, environmental condition or external event that causes or brings stress to an individual. It may include life event changes, major life crises & traumatising experiences. But it also covers normal day to day things like work, socialising pressure from loved ones that affect our internal state. Kind of like a fire alarm going off even when there is no fire. All of these may be considered as demanding, challenging or threatening to one, making it a Stressor. This may bring strain to an individual that left unchecked can lead to depression & anxiety to an individual.
High Intensity Training & Stress
Although High Intensity Training has been proven to have many positive effects in one’s fitness, HIIT still has its downsides. Without proper rest & recovery, it can cause higher levels of Cortisol & increased symptoms of stress.
Yes, when not done in moderation & not managed wisely, High Intensity Training can be a stressor to you & your body.
Cortisol is & why it is relevant to HIIT.
Cortisol is a hormone your body brings out in order for it to handle stress. Now, during your HIIT, the brain senses the stress in your body. Thus, hormones are released, including Cortisol. Now, the release of Cortisol activates the sympathetic nervous system, generating a fight-or-flight response.
How does this HIIT affect this, you may ask. Well, to give you an example, when your legs start to pedal as fast as they can, your brain starts to receive the message that your survival depends on the interval and it is at this moment that the Cortisol and other hormones are being released, putting you in a fight-or-flight response.
Now, the downside with Cortisol is that when your body produces an unacceptably high amount, they may float freely in the bloodstream, causing negative symptoms in your everyday life, it’s what most call the ‘Cortisol Creep’.
Overtraining Symptoms
You may ask me how you’d find out if you’re already suffering from the ‘Cortisol Creep’. Well, here are some of the symptoms you are & you need to take a break from overtraining.
Chronic fatigue
A decrease in power while exercising
Mood swings
Lack of motivation
Unhealthy sleep patterns
Anxiety attacks
Weak immune system
Consistent illness
Whenever your body suffers from the ‘Cortisol Creep’, these are the manifestations. You can read more about when you need a rest day HERE
SUMMARY
Too much of your HIIT can confuse your brain and stress you out. So, if you’re suffering from any of these symptoms, perhaps, it’s time to pause & take a break from HIGH INTENSITY. It doesn´t mean you should completely rest and do nothing, but if you experience these frequently you need ot make sure you include some lower impact, lower intensity skill work in your weekly routine.
Like I always say, training is only one part of a the equation to getting fitter and stronger. In order for the TRAINING to be effective, you have to make rest a priority, too.
Hope you learned a thing or two.
Let Me know what you think.
Cheers,
Eik
