Sports Final Chapter 21: Burnout And Overtraining

Front 1

Periodized training

Back 1

o The deliberate strategy of exposing athletes to high-volume and high-intensity training loads that are followed by a lower training load, known as the rest or taper stage
o The goal is to condition athletes so that their performance peaks at a specific date or in a particular time frame (usually before major competitions or championships)
o The scientific and artistic challenge is to overload and taper athletes, slowly increasing the training load so that optimal adaptations accrue and negative side effects, such as injury and staleness, do not

Front 2

Overtraining

Back 2

o A short cycle of training (lasting a few days to a few weeks) during which athletes expose themselves to excessive training loads that are near or at maximal capacity
o A normal part of the physical training process, but is far from perfect and highly individualistic

Front 3

Staleness

Back 3

o A physiological state of overtraining which manifests as deteriorated athletic readiness
o The end result of overtraining when the athlete has difficulty maintaining standard training regiments and can no longer achieve previous performance results
o Significant reduction in performance over an extended period of time that occurs during or following a period of overtraining and fails to improve in response to short-term reductions in training
o Principal behavioral sign is impaired performance, whereas the principal psychological symptoms are mood disturbance and increases in perceptual effort during exercise
 80% of stale athletes are clinically depressed

Front 4

Burnout

Back 4

o Exhaustive psychophysiological response exhibited as a result of frequent. sometimes extreme, and generally ineffective efforts to meet excessive training and competitive demands
• Viewed as a response to chronic stress

Front 5

Symptoms of burnout

Back 5

o Athlete will appear physically and mentally exhausted
o Depersonalization
o Low personal accomplishment feelings
o Low self esteem
o Feel like failure
o Show signs of depression
o Eventually withdraw from sport
 No longer enjoyable

Front 6

Research models of burnout

Back 6

Sylva's Model (Negative training stress response model)
Cognitive Affective Stress Model
Investment or Entrapment Model
Empowerment Model

Front 7

Sylva's Model / Negative Training Stress Response Model of Burnout

Back 7

 Negative training stress response model
 If a positive adaptation to training stress takes place,
• then the athlete will respond with a training gain
 If a negative adaptation to training stress takes place
• Athlete will experience a lag in training, which will be interpreted as staleness
 Once staleness + burnout
• Leads to training stress syndrome
• If not resolved, athlete will drop out of sport

Front 8

Cognitive affective stress model of burnout

Back 8

 4 stages
• Situational demands
o Athlete is confronted with objective demands that are beyond the athlete’s ability to address
 5 hours of practice + excessive pressure = no reward
• Cognitive appraisal
o Appraisal is made of objective demands
• Physiological response
o Perceived threat results in physiological responses that may be manifested in the form of anxiety, tension, depression, insomnia, fatigue, increased susceptibility to illness
• Behavioral response
o Athlete responds with some kind of coping behavior, or not
 Or not = decreased performance level
• Interpersonal difficulties

Front 9

Investment or Entrapment Model

Back 9

 Conceptualized as being a function of 5 determinants
• Rewards
• Costs
• Satisfaction
• Investments
• Alternatives
 Feel that commitment to sport is based on entrapment
• Commitment to them
• Obligation
• Not a matter of personal enjoyment
• Only a matter of time before burnout occurs

Front 10

Empowerment Model

Back 10

 Burnout occurs under any of two conditions
• Sport experienced is so constraining that the athlete is unable to develop a desirable alternative identity
o Likely athlete will withdraw from sport
• Social organization of the sport feels so structured that the athlete starts to feel that they have no control over their life
o Likely athlete will withdraw from sport

Front 11

Factors leading to burnout

Back 11

o Physical concerns
 Overtraining
 Chronic fatigue
 Losing all the time
 Ineffective time management
 Athlete who isn’t spending enough time with other people
• Constantly in practice or having to do something related to sport
 Non-supportive coaching staff
o Psychological concerns
 Inappropriate expectations of athlete
 Athlete feels untalented to compete
• Loss of confidence
 Lack of enjoyment
 Decreased levels of concentration
• Worried about other things
 Feeling bored
 Chronic stress

Front 12

How to measure burnout

Back 12

o Massloch Burnout Inventory (MBI) check spelling
 3 components of burnout
• Emotional exhaustion and overextension
• Depersonalization
o Unfeeling and impersonal response to other people
o Feel like they’re just going through the motions
o Detached from other people
• Low sense of personal achievement

Front 13

How to help burnout

Back 13

o Look for symptoms and signs
o Keep athlete self aware so they can be monitored
o Take some time away from sport
o If athlete is thinking of withdrawing from sport completely, might prescribe complete rest and relaxation
 To help athlete get back in control
o Goal setting
 Short term for practice and competition
o Identify open lines of communication between everyone
o Allocate time between competitive sport and other nonrelated activities
o Help them learn to use healthy stress management skills
 Encourage positive self talk
 Teach them to maintain a positive outlook by focusing on what they’re able to control
 Do not obsess on being critical
 Physical health maintenance