Overtraining Risk Calculator
Combine resting heart rate, sleep, soreness, mood and training-load changes into a simple overtraining risk score out of 100.
How it works
Score = resting-HR rise + sleep deficit + soreness + mood/motivation + load spike (each capped, total 0–100)
Overtraining (more precisely, non-functional overreaching) rarely shows up in one number — it emerges from a cluster of signs. This screen weights an elevated resting heart rate, short sleep, lingering soreness, dropping mood and motivation, and a sharp jump in training load into a single 0–100 score. It is a self-monitoring aid to prompt sensible adjustments, not a diagnosis; the most useful signal is the trend across days and weeks, not an isolated reading.
Worked example
Resting HR +3 bpm (7.5 pts), 7 hrs sleep (0 pts), soreness 4/10 (8.3 pts), mood "OK" (8 pts), load +10% (0 pts) sums to about 24/100 — low risk. If sleep fell to 5 hrs and load jumped +30%, those two alone would add 16 + 10 = 26 points, pushing the score into the moderate band.
Frequently asked questions
What are the earliest signs of overtraining?
Common early markers include an unexplained rise in resting heart rate, disturbed sleep, persistent heavy-legged soreness, falling motivation, and stalled or declining performance despite hard work. Mood changes and irritability often appear before the physical numbers do.
How is overreaching different from overtraining?
Functional overreaching is a short, planned dip in performance during a hard block that supercompensates after rest. Overtraining syndrome is a deeper, longer state that can take weeks or months to recover from. This score is meant to catch problems before they reach that stage.
What should I do if my score is high?
Reduce training volume and intensity, protect sleep, eat enough, and add genuine rest days; a deload week is often warranted. If symptoms persist despite a week or more of easier training, or performance keeps falling, consult a sports-medicine professional.
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Educational estimate only, not medical advice. Recovery, hydration, heat and cold tolerance vary widely between individuals — stop any protocol that causes pain, dizziness or distress and consult a qualified professional.