Monitoring the effects of training load changes on stress and recovery in swimmers

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to investigate if monitoring of stress and recovery maybe useful to detect overreaching in its early stages and may be used to evaluate effectsof changes in training load. Nine swimmers were applied the Recovery-Stress Questionnairefor Athletes (RESTQ-Sport) in four different occasions (M1, M2, M3, M4)along a 6-week training period prior to a competition. During the basal training period(M1), recovery scales scored higher than stress scales, being the scales Generalwell-being, Social recovery and Being in shape those reaching higher scores. Followingthe measure corresponding to the second training period (M2), in which trainingvolume reached a maximum, there were significant increases in two stress scales(Injury and Emotional exhaustion), and decreases in three recovery scales (Success,Physical recovery, and Self-efficacy). Values increased again and did not significantlydiffer from those corresponding to the first measure during measures M3 and M4, inwhich there was a decrease in training volume and training time. Only a recoveryscale score (Success) increased significantly from period M2 to period M4. When therecovery-stress (total recovery – total stress) state was calculated, it was found thatthere was a significant decreases in M2, and values progressively increased in measuresM3 and M4, with no significant difference from M1. Results obtained indicatethat the RESTQ-Sport is able to show significant changes concurrently with trainingloads. Regular monitoring of stress and recovery by these measures may help todetect overreaching in its early stages (AU)

RESUMEN

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