The next stop on the path to true overtraining is known as overreaching. For the vast majority of people, if you think you've overtrained, this is likely the more accurate assessment.
Overreaching is similar to overtraining, in that the symptoms may be similar - a decrease in strength or endurance, prolonged soreness and fatigue beyond the normal bounds of typical DOMS - however, the severity is far less, and short-lived.
While a newcomer may overreach by taking on too rigorous a program early in their training, the body is typically quick to adapt and increase overall conditioning. For more advanced high-performance athletes, overreaching requires a sudden substantial increase in training volume more drastic than the change from sedentary life to regular training.
In the case of overreaching, the cause is comparable to early-stage overtraining. Under the consistent strain of the increased training volume, the body's ability to respond to the inflammatory response is diminished. The breakdown of muscle tissue is increased, while the clearance of waste products decreases. The overall recovery process is slower, and this inevitably takes a toll on the trainer.
However, overreaching is fairly common - in fact, most athletes will experience it from time to time, to varying degrees. Once again, conditioning plays a factor, as do genetics as some are more predisposed to adapting more quickly to sudden increases in training load. And for some, overreaching - much like DOMS - can actually be a desired goal.
In his Six Weeks to Sick Arms program, Dr. Stoppani details the process of intentional overreaching for the purpose of achieving maximal muscle growth. "Several studies from the University of Connecticut have shown that when subjects overreach for several weeks, during the two weeks following, they grow significantly bigger and stronger while taking it easy. The key is to stop the overreaching just before it turns into overtraining."
As he explains, this is in large part due to gene activation and what he describes as a "staircase effect", essentially stacking damage upon damage to compound the resulting repair and muscle hypertrophy.
In order to maintain this intentional overreaching and prevent overtraining, the program makes use of periodization - the systematic, gradual increase of weight lifted over time - as well as key recommendations regarding nutrition, which you'll see later plays an important part in avoiding overtraining syndrome.
One study cited in the program overview found that athletes were better able to maintain energy levels and overall strength better when supplementing with amino acids. Adequate nutrition is essential to combating the lasting effects of intense, frequent, or lengthy workouts.
In order to achieve this precursor to overtraining, the workouts involved are nothing short of brutal. But even six weeks of this increased training intensity isn't sufficient in causing overtraining syndrome - so what is?