In modern athletic training the volume and intensity of workload is considerably high. Athletes might reach training volumes of 25 hours a week. For highly trained athletes, high intensity interval training (HIT) is required to improve endurance performance. The most efficient way to improve VO2 max is to perform training at intensities of 90-100% of VO2 max. Therefore getting knowledge about physiological and psychological changes during HIT is important from both a scientific and a practical point of view. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in jump ability and mood during two days of high intensity interval training followed by one day of recovery. 15 male well-trained junior cross-country skiers were divided into two groups. Group 1 (n=7) completed one HIT session per day (in the morning) and group 2 (n=8) completed two HIT sessions a day (in the morning and in the afternoon). The two days of training were followed by one recovery day. The intensity of the intervals was 85-95 % of maximum heart rate. Mood (Profile Of Mood States, POMS) was measured in the morning and in the evening on training days and in the morning of the recovery day. Jump test was performed as a standardized horizontal ten-step test with in the mornings of training and recovery days. The participants were familiar with both the POMS-test and the jump test. In group 1, there were no major changes in jump performance following training days 1 and 2. In group 2, jump performance decreased following day 1 and further decreased in day 2 and remained lower than baseline values after the recovery day. Vigour remained unchanged throughout the training period in group 1. In group 2, vigour decreased following training days 1 and 2 and returned to initial level after the recovery day. Fatigue increased following training days 1 and 2 and returned to initial levels following the recovery day in group 2. In group 1, fatigue increased following training day 1 but returned to initial level already after training day 2. Two HIT sessions per day altered more significantly mood (fatigue and vigour) than one HIT session per day. It is suggested that the ten-step jump test combined with POMS are sensitive markers to monitor training load.
© Copyright 2004 Book of Abstracts - 9th Annual Congress European College of Sport Science, July 3-6, 2004, Clermont-Ferrand, France. Published by Eigenverlag. All rights reserved.