ABSTRACT
The goal of training competitive athletes is to provide training loads that are effective in improving performance. During this process, athletes may go through several stages within a competitive season of periodised training. These phases of training range from undertraining, during the period between competitive seasons or during active rest and taper, to ‘overreaching’ and ‘overtraining’ which includesmaladaptations anddiminished competitive performance (Meeusen et al., 2006). When prolonged and excessive training happens concurrent with other stressors and insufficient recovery, performance decrements can result in chronic maladaptations that can lead to the overtraining syndrome (OTS). Literature on ‘overtraining’ has increased enormously; however, the major difficulties are the lack of common and consistent terminology as well as a gold standard for the diagnosis of overtraining.
