Simola, R., Samulski, D. M., & Prado, L. S. (2009). Physiological and psychological aspects of swimmers in different training periods. A paper presented at the 14th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Oslo, Norway, June 24-27.

This study investigated the effects of different training loads on stress and recovery perception and on the plasma activity of creatine kinase. Highly trained, male swimmers were assessed for recovery perception and creatine kinase after two distinct training phases. In the first, Ss swam ~50,000 m in the week for five weeks. In the second, Ss covered an average of 25,000 m per week, for two weeks. Recovery perception was evaluated in a Portuguese translation of the RESTQ-Sport.

After the second training phase, a significant reduction of creatine kinase was observed when compared to the heavier-training phase measurement. In the second phase, there was a reduction of scale scores in RESTQ-Sport subscales of Conflicts/Pressure, Fatigue, Lack of Energy, Perturbations on Intervals, and Lesions. Significant increases were seen on the subscales of Physical Recovery and Being in Shape. However, no significant correlations between scores and creatine kinase were observed in any of the sampling phases.

Implication. Sharp training volume decreases after a period of high training loads may cause improvements in psychological and physiological profiles but those features may not necessarily be correlated.

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