Central Fatigue
Central fatigue is a reduction in performance caused by decreased drive from the brain and nervous system.
Central fatigue is when your brain and nervous system become tired, making it harder to produce effort, maintain coordination, or stay mentally engaged, even if the muscles still have capacity.
Deeper explanation
Central fatigue originates in the central nervous system rather than the muscles themselves. It involves changes in brain signalling, neurotransmitter balance, and nervous system output that reduce the ability to activate muscles fully.
Unlike peripheral fatigue, which is caused by local muscle factors such as fuel depletion or metabolite build-up, central fatigue limits performance by reducing neural drive. This can affect strength, speed, coordination, reaction time, and perceived effort.
Why it matters
Central fatigue plays a major role in performance limits, especially during long or intense training blocks. When central fatigue accumulates, athletes may feel unmotivated, mentally drained, or unable to hit expected outputs despite adequate physical conditioning.
Managing central fatigue is critical for maintaining training quality, reducing injury risk, and sustaining long-term progress.
Programming use
Coaches manage central fatigue by balancing high-intensity sessions with lower-intensity aerobic work and recovery days. Sessions that heavily tax the nervous system include maximal lifts, sprinting, and repeated high-intensity efforts.
Programming often alternates neural stress with technical, aerobic, or recovery-focused sessions to prevent excessive accumulation of central fatigue.
HYROX / hybrid context
In HYROX-style training and racing, central fatigue can accumulate quickly due to repeated high-effort stations, loud environments, decision-making under stress, and minimal recovery between efforts.
Athletes affected by central fatigue may struggle with coordination, pacing decisions, and mental resilience late in races, even if muscular strength remains.
Examples
• Reduced motivation despite adequate physical recovery
• Poor coordination or timing late in training sessions
• Feeling mentally exhausted before muscles feel fully fatigued
Quick answers & tooltips
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Does central fatigue affect strength and coordination?
Yes. It reduces neural drive and movement quality.
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Is central fatigue reversible?
Yes. With adequate recovery, it resolves over time.
Common mistakes & fixes
Treating all fatigue as muscular
Mental and neural fatigue require different recovery strategies. Include rest, sleep, and low-stress sessions.
Overloading high-intensity training
Too many maximal or near-maximal sessions increase central fatigue. Balance intensity across the week.
Ignoring psychological stress
Work and life stress contribute to central fatigue. Account for total stress load, not just training.
FAQ
Is central fatigue the same as being unfit?
No. It reflects nervous system stress, not a lack of fitness.
Can central fatigue be trained?
Indirectly. Aerobic fitness, good recovery habits, and exposure to competition stress improve tolerance.
How do you reduce central fatigue?
Sleep, nutrition, reduced intensity, and planned recovery all help restore neural function.