Relationships between Training Load, Salivary Cortisol Responses and Performance during Season Training in Middle and Long Distance Runners

Abstract

PurposeMonitoring training from a multifactorial point of view is of great importance in elite endurance athletes. This study aims to analyze the relationships between indicators of training load, hormonal status and neuromuscular performance, and to compare these values with competition performance, in elite middle and long-distance runners.MethodFifteen elite middle and long-distance runners (12 men, 3 women; age = 26.3±5.1 yrs) were measured for training volume, training zone and session rate of perceived exertion (RPE) (daily), countermovement jump (CMJ) and salivary free cortisol (weekly) for 39 weeks (i.e., the whole season). Competition performance was also observed throughout the study, registering the season best and worst competitions.ResultsSeason average salivary free cortisol concentrations correlate significantly with CMJ (r = −0.777) and RPE (r = 0.551). Also, weekly averages of CMJ significantly correlates with RPE (r = −0.426), distance run (r = −0.593, p<0.001) and training zone (r = 0.437, p<0.05). Finally, it was found that the CMJ (+8.5%, g = 0.65) and the RPE (−17.6%, g = 0.94) measured the week before the best competition performance of the season were significantly different compared with the measurement conducted the week before the season’s worst competition performance.ConclusionsMonitoring weekly measurements of CMJ and RPE could be recommended to control training process of such athletes in a non-invasive, field-based, systematic way.

Effects of training and competition on the sleep of elite athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Therefore, reductions in TST and SE may reflect a negative adaptation to training in response to large increases in training load. Heavy training can lead to increases in circulating cortisol96 and sympathetic activity,97 both of which may prevent the normal downregulation of the human stress systems (ie, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, sympathetic-adrenal-medullary) required for healthy sleep 98 99. In support, changes in resting alpha-amylase, a marker of sympathetic activity, have been negatively correlated with changes in SE among synchronised swimmers 65.…”

Combined Training (Aerobic Plus Strength) Potentiates a Reduction in Body Fat but Demonstrates No Difference on the Lipid Profile in Postmenopausal Women When Compared With Aerobic Training With a Similar Training Load

“…In the absence of a gold standard method for equalization of training loads in different modalities of exercise (1,2,7,8,28), session RPE can be used mainly because of its validity for monitoring exercise at various ages (1,(8)(9)(10)15). Moreover, this method presents significant correlations with HR, blood lactate concentrations, and cortisol levels at continuous efforts (2,(8)(9)(10)13,15,31).…”

“…Moreover, this method presents significant correlations with HR, blood lactate concentrations, and cortisol levels at continuous efforts (2,(8)(9)(10)13,15,31). Although no study was found using RPE session for equalizing load, this parameter represents the global feeling of exertion experienced during training session, allowing the monitoring of high-intensity exercises, like resistance training in older women (7,8).…”

“…The rating of perceived exertion method (RPE 3 time session) is a validated tool for monitoring exercise at various ages (10), mainly because of the significant correlations with heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentrations, and cortisol levels (2,10,13,28,31). Moreover, the RPE session is used to determine an index of training variability, which is related to banal illness and overtraining syndrome (9).…”

Relação entre percepção subjetiva do esforço e marcadores salivares em atletas de atletismo

“…Estes achados podem ser explicados pelo fato de que o cortisol é produzido em maior quantidade em treinos aeróbios prolongados, principalmente para estimular o metabolismo de lipídios e proteínas 35,36 . Nesse sentido, a combinação de exercícios aeróbios prolongados e exercícios intervalados de alta intensidade, são frequentemente realizados por corredores de fundo, o que pode ter contribuído para o aumento do cortisol em relação aos demais grupos [36][37] . Recentemente Balsalobre-Fernández et al 37 encontraram uma associação entre o volume de treinamento (quilômetros percorridos) e a concentração de cortisol salivar em corredores de média e longa duração, demonstrando que, quanto maior o volume de treinamento semanal, maior a concentração de cortisol salivar.…”