Juniors should always work at sub maximal levels to try and avoid any of the consequences of overtraining. Other factors that have to be taken into consideration include conditions such as asthma, epilepsy and diabetes which can be present in both junior and elite athletes. As strength and skill levels increase more volume can be added.
Elite athletes can often train up to 7 days a week. Highly motivated athletes have to keep in mind that the balance between training, other stressors i.e. family and financial, along with recovery time all have to be right. Elite athletes should follow the F.I.T.T. principle in respect to time. By this definition they should be training anywhere between 3 and 5 sessions per week. Therefore it is vital that they do not exceed these prescribed 5 sessions. By doing this it gives there body time to repair along with preparing them mentally for the proceeding training sessions. In this way motivation levels are also kept high. Incorporated into these five sessions can again be a degree of variety to ensure that the athlete doesn't get bored with the normal daily routine of training.
Symptoms and signs of overtraining vary from athlete to athlete. Too much training causes a temporary decline in immune function, which can lead to temporary or prolonged infections. There are a number of different areas through which we can use to identify if an athlete is overtraining. Apart from a weakened immune system various conditions covering all age brackets which encompass both elite and junior athletes, are a common indicator. Being tired, unmotivated, easily distracted, nervous, finding less enjoyment from doing the activity along with playing poorly are all signs of overtraining.
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Being tired is obviously part and pastle with training however waking up tired and feeling exhausted throughout the day are signals you"re probably exceeding the body's capacity to manage the amount and intensity of your training.