An analysis of the training stress syndrome in competitive athletics

Abstract

Training stress is defined as having both positive and negative adaptation responses. Positive adaptations to training stress are desirable and generally demonstrate appropriate responses to physical and psychological overloads imposed to initiate a training effect. Negative adaptations to training stress generally occur when an imbalance exists between imposed training demands and coping capacities. The purpose of this paper is to present conceptual models that define the nature of positive and negative adaptations to training stress. The positive response to training stress is presented in a model emphasizing that training stress is necessary for training gain. Thus not all training stress leads to negative adaptation at psychological or physiological response levels. Negative training stress responses are hypothesized to regress along a continuum from staleness to overtraining to burnout. This regressive pattern is labeled the training stress syndrome. Clear definitions and distinctions for staleness, overtraining and burnout are presented along with the conceptual models for positive and negative adaptation to training stress. The paper also examines exploratory data from an intercollegiate sample of athletes that describes their perceptions of staleness, overtraining and burnout. Descriptive data are also presented on the frequency. severity, causes and symptoms of each phase of the training stress syndrome as perceived by a sample of collegiate athletes.