For years, the National Institute of Sports, Exercise and Performance (INSEP) in France had been studying an unusual phenomenon. If an athlete’s workout regiments were ramped up, it didn’t always lead to a better performance — even if that athlete felt like they were working harder than before.
The organization called this phenomenon overreaching, and knew what the physical symptoms were. But the organization wanted to know if any symptoms of fatigue were appearing in the brain, too. New research says yes. Too-intense workouts can make athletes more impulsive, according to a study published today in Current Biology.
