More Isn’t Always Better: Understanding Nervous System Fatigue and the Perils of Overtraining
We’ve all heard the phrase, “No pain, no gain,” and while there’s some truth to pushing yourself, there’s also a line you don’t want to cross. Recently, a staff member asked me, “Is CNS fatigue even real?” My answer was an unequivocal yes, and I’m here to explain why and how exercising too much or too long can actually sabotage your results.
First, let’s talk about central nervous system (CNS) fatigue. The CNS is essentially your body’s control center, and it governs everything from muscle contractions to how alert you feel. When you’re training—especially at high intensity or for extended periods—you’re not just taxing your muscles; you’re placing significant stress on your CNS. Over time, this can lead to CNS fatigue, which manifests as a drop in performance, difficulty recovering, and even mental burnout. The science supports this: research shows that prolonged high-intensity exercise can impair motor control and reaction time due to CNS exhaustion (Enoka & Duchateau, 2016).
Now let’s talk hormones. Exercise is a stressor, and your body responds by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to help you power through. But here’s the catch: after about 60 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise, cortisol levels can spike to a point where they’re no longer beneficial. Elevated cortisol is associated with muscle breakdown, fat storage (especially around the midsection), and impaired recovery. In simpler terms, pushing through those extra 30 minutes or doubling up on classes might actually be working against your fat-loss and muscle-building goals.
So, what’s the takeaway here? Recovery is just as important as your workouts. Without adequate recovery, your body doesn’t have the chance to repair damaged tissues, rebalance hormones, and reset your CNS. In fact, overtraining can increase your risk for injuries—and that’s a fast track to derailing progress altogether.
To put this in perspective, I want to commend those of you who are taking multiple classes a day, multiple days a week. Your dedication is inspiring, and it’s clear that you’ve committed to making fitness a priority in your life. But you may not realize that by not allowing your body adequate time to recover, you could be undermining all of your hard work. A rested and recovered body doesn’t just perform better—it achieves results faster and with far less risk of injury. If you’re chasing fat loss, muscle gain, or overall fitness, recovery is where the magic happens.
Here are a few practical tips to keep in mind:
The bottom line is that more isn’t always better. Progress comes from a balance of effort and recovery—stress and adaptation. By embracing recovery as a crucial part of the fitness journey, you’ll not only feel better but also see better results.
Let’s make recovery a part of the culture here at CustomFit360. Together, we can achieve our goals in a way that’s smarter, safer, and more sustainable. Remember, listening to your body isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.
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