Overtraining occurs when the body is pushed beyond its ability to recover, leading to a decline in performance, increased fatigue, and physical or mental stress. It can happen through excessive exercise or intense physical work, but also from external factors like emotional stress or lack of sleep, which compound the body's fatigue. The combination of physical strain and insufficient recovery time results in overtraining, and its impact varies depending on the individual’s overall stress levels, workload, and recovery practices.
Overfishing provides a useful parallel to consider. Overfishing occurs when fish are removed from a body of water at a rate that exceeds the population's ability to replenish itself, resulting in declining fish stocks. This depletion impacts key species, disrupts marine ecosystems, and jeopardizes the sustainability of fisheries. It's crucial to understand that overfishing can happen even if fishing pressure remains constant or decreases. This phenomenon is often more closely related to the overall health of fish stocks than to the level of fishing activity. Factors such as climate change, habitat degradation, and shifts in marine ecosystems can hinder fish populations' recovery, making them more susceptible to overfishing despite stable or reduced fishing efforts.
Both "overfishing" and "overtraining" are terms that can be misleading because they suggest that the problem arises solely from doing too much—too much fishing or too much training. But, neither requires an increase in activity for the negative effects to occur. Overtraining can result from inadequate recovery, mental stress, or fatigue, even if the amount of training remains consistent or moderate.
Similarly, overfishing can happen without increased fishing pressure, as it often depends more on the health and resilience of fish stocks than the volume of fishing. In both cases, the issue stems not from sheer quantity, but from an imbalance between effort and the environment’s or body’s ability to recover and maintain equilibrium.
What can you do about it?
Nutrition and hydration—eat right and eat enough. The fitness demands of fishing are high, so you need to eat a lot (of good foods!) to make sure your body can manage the load you’re putting on it. A 200-pound commercial fisherman should aim to eat around 3,000 to 3,500 calories per day to fuel their physically demanding work. This should include about 160 to 200 grams of protein to support muscle repair and recovery. A good balance of nutrients would be plenty of lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs, or Greek yogurt, along with carbohydrates like rice, oats, and potatoes for energy, and healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, and olive oil.
Mobility, strength, recovery—these are critical, but it doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. When you’re busy fishing, focus on that, but make sure to allow time for adequate rest and quality sleep. During the off-season, when you have more time, shift your focus to improving your health by working on mobility, strength, and recovery as you prepare for the next fishing season.
If you need immediate help:
NAMI Maine Helpline 800-464-5767, press 1
Suicide Prevention Hotline 800-273-8255
Substance Use Support Hotline (877) 967-2149
Monique Coombs, MCFA's Director of Community Programs, has a current Personal Trainer certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) but she has been certified previously by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She is also a NASM-certified Nutrition Coach, and is currently studying to take the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F) test.
