Psychophysiological responses to overloading and tapering phases in elite young soccer players.
This study investigated the effect of a 2-week overloading training phase followed by a 2-week tapering phase on internal training load (ITL), salivary cortisol, stress tolerance, and upper respiratory tract infections symptoms (URTI) in 11 male young soccer players (16.0 ± 0.5 yrs). Ratings of perceived exertion (session- RPE) were taken after each training session (N = 194) to determine ITL. Saliva sampling was conducted at the end of each week and cortisol concentration assessed by ELISA. DALDA and WURSS-21 questionnaires were administered every week to evaluate stress tolerance and severity of URTI respectively. The number of athletes reporting URTI symptoms was recorded. The overloading phase promoted greater ITL and a higher resting cortisol concentration than the tapering phase (P < .05). While no significant changes in stress tolerance or URTI severity were observed, the number of athletes reporting URTI symptoms was higher during the overloading phase. A significant correlation was observed between symptoms of stress and severity of URTI (rs=-.71; P = .01). The results indicate that an integrated approach using psychological measures (session-RPE and DALDA), self-reports of URTI symptoms, and endocrine responses (cortisol) to training are pertinent for monitoring young soccer players.
School of Physical Education and Sport, Dept. of Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Camila G
CG
Freitas
Marcelo S
MS
Aoki
Clovis A
CA
Franciscon
Ademir F S
AF
Arruda
Christopher
C
Carling
Alexandre
A
Moreira
D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000379:methods* / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone