title: High intensity and reduced volume training attenuates stress and recovery levels in elite swimmers.
abstract: This study investigated the effect of increased high-intensity interval training (HIT) at the expense of total training volume on the stress and recovery levels of elite swimmers. Forty-one elite swimmers participated in the study and were randomly assigned to either a HIT or a control group (CON). Eleven swimmers did not complete the questionnaires. For 12 weeks both groups trained ~12 h per week. The amount of HIT was ~5 h vs. 1 h, and total distance was ~17 km vs. ~35 km per week for HIT and CON, respectively. HIT was performed as 6-10 × 10-30 s maximal effort interspersed by 2-4 min of rest. The Recovery Stress Questionnaire - Sport was used to measure the swimmers' stress and recovery levels. After the 12 week intervention, the general stress level was 16.6% (2.6-30.7%; mean and 95% CI) lower and the general recovery level was 6.5% (0.7-12.4%) higher in HIT compared to the CON, after adjusting for baseline values. No significant effects could be observed in sports-specific stress or sports-specific recovery. The results indicate that increasing training intensity and reducing training volume for 12 weeks can reduce general stress and increase general recovery levels in competitive swimmers.
authors: a Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sport (NEXS) , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen K , Denmark.
authors: Anne-Marie
authors: AM
authors: Elbe
authors: b Department of Psychology , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen K , Denmark.
authors: Camilla P
authors: CP
authors: Rasmussen
authors: a Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sport (NEXS) , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen K , Denmark.
authors: Glen
authors: G
authors: Nielsen
authors: a Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sport (NEXS) , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen K , Denmark.
authors: Nikolai B
authors: NB
authors: Nordsborg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D056352:Athletes; D005260:Female; D000072696:High-Intensity Interval Training; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012146:Rest; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013550:Swimming; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: RESTQ; Swimming; overtraining