Functional overreaching is a deliberate training strategy — often a 2-3 week 'overload block' before a recovery week. During the block, performance and motivation decline. After 5-10 days of reduced training, performance rebounds above pre-block levels. This is different from non-functional overreaching (fatigue lasting 2+ weeks) or overtraining syndrome (fatigue lasting months). The distinction: functional overreaching resolves with a standard deload.
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