What describes functional overreaching in athletes?

Functional overreaching is characterized by a temporary decline in performance followed by an eventual recovery and possibly an improvement in performance. This phenomenon occurs when an athlete undergoes a period of increased training intensity or volume, leading to fatigue and a short-term decrease in performance levels. However, if managed appropriately, this stage of overreaching is typically followed by adequate recovery, resulting in enhanced strength, endurance, or overall athletic capacity after the body adapts to the higher training demands.

In contrast, long-term performance decline indicates a deeper issue related to overtraining syndrome, where athletes experience chronic fatigue and decreased performance without the anticipated recovery. Persistent non-recovery of performance suggests a more severe and lasting state, often indicating an athlete may be at risk of injury or burnout. Excessive training loads represent one of the factors that could contribute to functional overreaching, but the defining aspect of functional overreaching is the ability to recover and improve performance after the initial decline. Thus, temporary decline followed by recovery succinctly captures the essence of functional overreaching in athletes.