What term describes excessive exercise without sufficient recovery?

The term that describes excessive exercise without sufficient recovery is overtraining. Overtraining occurs when an athlete exceeds their body's ability to recover from intense physical activity, leading to a decline in performance, increased fatigue, and potential injury. It often manifests through physical symptoms like prolonged fatigue, decreased immunity, and increased risk of injuries, as well as psychological effects such as mood swings and irritability.

Recovery is a critical component of any training regimen, as it allows the body to repair itself and adapt to the stresses of exercise. When recovery is inadequate, the cumulative stress from continuous high-intensity workouts can lead to a state of overtraining, which ultimately hampers an athlete’s progress rather than enhancing performance.

The other terms, while related to exercise and performance, describe different concepts. Fatigue refers to a temporary state of tiredness that can occur during or after exercise. Burnout typically refers to a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, often in the context of overall training and life balance. Overexertion refers to pushing oneself beyond one’s physical limits during a specific session, but it does not necessarily capture the chronic nature of excessive training without proper recovery that overtraining does.