Training hard is essential, but training too hard is dangerous.
Burnout is the invisible wall athletes hit when balance is lost - mentally, physically, or both. Avoiding it requires discipline and honesty.
Let's hear from two of our athletes - England cricketers Jason Roy and Jos Buttler.
"It wasn’t easy to pull out of the IPL in 2024, but I knew I had to," said Jason.
"Sometimes you think grinding through is strength, but real strength is saying no when you’re close to burning out.
"That decision gave me space to reset."
As for Jos, he makes sure he factors enough downtime into his life.
"Family time is a big part of recovery for me," he said. "It’s about perspective. If you’re constantly on, you’ll break down. Balance keeps you fresh."
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
“Burnout is cumulative," says sports psychologist Dr. Emma Vickers.
"It’s not one bad session - it’s weeks of overload without enough recovery.
"Spotting mood changes, loss of motivation, and disrupted sleep are just as important as monitoring training load."
A RESET ROUTINE FOR YOU
1. Build rest days into schedules
2. Separate mental and physical recovery strategies
3. Use tools like journalling, meditation, or downtime
4. Prioritise sleep as performance fuel
FINDING A BALANCE
The best athletes don’t avoid work - they balance it. Breakthroughs happen when training and recovery push each other forward.
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