am i burned out?

i am steadily decreasing in energy over the past few weeks and dont know why!?!?

over the past year i was doing cardio 5 days a week doing exercise bike, treadmill and rowing machine, now im down to 4 days and just cross trainer 30mins and swimming 30mins but im getting half way into the cross trainer and feeling shattered and my times are slowly decreasing, the swimming is getting the same way too, it feels like i havnt got any energy when a couple of months ago i was getting through it  no problem? my diet hasnt changed im pretty low carb, i eat a banana and apple an hour before my sessions, i dont use whey protien or anything should i btw? drink plenty also, i took a week off for christmas and first day back today its just the same. so am i burned out ? do i need to eat something different etc etc please help thanks

Yes you're burning out

I doubt it is burnt out if you are struggling to do 30min Xtrainer. Might be worth going and getting a health check. Once you have ruled out health problems (could be a number of things, low iron, virus etc etc) then you know it's just mental.

Try a course of iron supplements as directed, if this works eat more iron rich food. Just a thought! Couple of articles that may be of interest http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=113 (over-training) and http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=66 (iron supplements) Training is supposed to make you feel better.....

cougie wrote (see)

Do you do all these workouts as hard and as fast as you can ? If so then yes you've probably done too much ?

 yes i do go pretty intense

SideBurn wrote (see)

Try a course of iron supplements as directed, if this works eat more iron rich food. Just a thought! Couple of articles that may be of interest http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=113 (over-training) and http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=66 (iron supplements) Training is supposed to make you feel better.....

thanks they were some interesting articles

how much time do you recommened taking off?in general/average

Dean you'll find out as you train more that you dont want to go flat out every time. Its fine to do it once or twice a week - but you batter yourself into tiredness. Most of your workouts should be done at a nice aerobic pace - so you do them longer but you could chat as you work out. 

I think it was one of the Brownlees who said something like they find that 'people who race all of their sessions just aren't there when it comes to the actual races'.

As to taking time off - two weeks out won't lose you any fitness and it sounds like you need at least that much. 

That is a really difficult question! Have a look at a training planner, I use http://www.ironbridgerunner.co.uk/hints look at the last two weeks of the training plan for 10k (if that looks like a lot then use the 5k one) which is week 11 and 12 and follow this plan (you could substitute cross training sessions for the runs). The idea being that you do not stop training just taper as if you are going to run a race. In this taper period I would be getting jittery due to excess energy; but see how you feel at the end of this period. Your muscles will recover in no more than 10 days. I am hoping that at the end of this period you will feel better, if not I would suggest not stopping training but just doing steady low impact sessions until you feel the need to do more... but do not overdo it again! Good luck and let me know what happens!

cougie wrote (see)

Dean you'll find out as you train more that you dont want to go flat out every time. Its fine to do it once or twice a week - but you batter yourself into tiredness. Most of your workouts should be done at a nice aerobic pace - so you do them longer but you could chat as you work out. 

I think it was one of the Brownlees who said something like they find that 'people who race all of their sessions just aren't there when it comes to the actual races'.

As to taking time off - two weeks out won't lose you any fitness and it sounds like you need at least that much. 

 

 

yeah im pretty shattered and picking up little injuries, deep down i know i sholud rest up but im like alot of other people who are scared that they will lose everything they have worked hard for in the space of a couple of weeks or even a month, my mind says one thing but my body says another, also im a creature of habit!!! no gym oh no!!!! 

SideBurn wrote (see)

That is a really difficult question! Have a look at a training planner, I use http://www.ironbridgerunner.co.uk/hints look at the last two weeks of the training plan for 10k (if that looks like a lot then use the 5k one) which is week 11 and 12 and follow this plan (you could substitute cross training sessions for the runs). The idea being that you do not stop training just taper as if you are going to run a race. In this taper period I would be getting jittery due to excess energy; but see how you feel at the end of this period. Your muscles will recover in no more than 10 days. I am hoping that at the end of this period you will feel better, if not I would suggest not stopping training but just doing steady low impact sessions until you feel the need to do more... but do not overdo it again! Good luck and let me know what happens!

SideBurn wrote (see)

That is a really difficult question! Have a look at a training planner, I use http://www.ironbridgerunner.co.uk/hints look at the last two weeks of the training plan for 10k (if that looks like a lot then use the 5k one) which is week 11 and 12 and follow this plan (you could substitute cross training sessions for the runs). The idea being that you do not stop training just taper as if you are going to run a race. In this taper period I would be getting jittery due to excess energy; but see how you feel at the end of this period. Your muscles will recover in no more than 10 days. I am hoping that at the end of this period you will feel better, if not I would suggest not stopping training but just doing steady low impact sessions until you feel the need to do more... but do not overdo it again! Good luck and let me know what happens!

thanks i'll dfo look into this!