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Effect of 6-week combined training on salivary cortisol levels, total Olympic lifting performance and anxiety levels in elite male Olympic weightlifters

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Abstract

Background

Weightlifting is one of the Olympic sports. Stress and anxiety are highly prevalent in sports and higher stress and anxiety levels seem to affect performance. There are several training methods used to enhance performance. However, there seems to be a scarcity of studies regarding the effect of training on psycho-physiological measures of performance.

Aim

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a combined high- and low-volume training program on the levels of salivary cortisol, maximum total Olympic lift performance (sum of snatch, and clean and jerk), and anxiety levels (somatic anxiety, cognitive anxiety, and self-confidence).

Methods

Twelve elite male Olympic weightlifters underwent a 6-week training protocol and levels of salivary cortisol, maximum total Olympic lift performance, and anxiety levels were assessed at baseline, mid-intervention (3rd week), and post-intervention (6th week). Appropriate statistical tests were utilized for data analysis.

Results

Results showed a significant effect of training on salivary cortisol level, total Olympic lifting performance, and somatic anxiety from baseline to the mid of training (p < 0.01) and also from mid of training to post-training (p < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in cognitive anxiety and self-confidence level from baseline to the mid of training to post-training (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

A combined high- and low-volume training program of 6 weeks tends to decrease anxiety and improves the total Olympic weightlifting performance and salivary cortisol levels in elite Olympic weightlifters. This information may be utilized in the training of weightlifters to enhance performance, targeting the psycho-physiological components.

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Data availability

All the statistical data used to support the findings are included in the article.

Abbreviations

CSAI:

Competitive State Anxiety Inventory

CSAI 2R:

Revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory

RM:

Repetition maximum

SD:

Standard deviation

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

HPA:

Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal

BMI:

Body mass index

CSA:

Cross-sectional area

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Acknowledgements

We would like to admit to sincere thanks to CRPF, Jharoda Kalan, and Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University) for providing logistic help during this study.

Funding

The present study was not funded by any agency.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, 110025, India

    Mohammad Faizan, Sumbul Ansari, Saurabh Sharma & Md Farhan Alam

  2. Integrated Sports Science Research Association, New Delhi, India

    Ashok Ahuja

  3. Central Reserve Police Force, New Delhi, India

    Kenjom Ngomdir

Authors
  1. Mohammad Faizan
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  2. Ashok Ahuja
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  3. Sumbul Ansari
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  4. Saurabh Sharma
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  5. Kenjom Ngomdir
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  6. Md Farhan Alam
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Contributions

MF, AA, SS and KN contributed to the research design. MF was involved in data collection. MF, SS and SA contributed to the data analysis. SS, SA and MFA were involved in main the manuscript formatting and drafting. SA prepared the figures. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Saurabh Sharma.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest pertaining to this article.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in the study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional/or national research committee (Institutional Ethics Committee, Jamia Millia Islamia, (No. 246/35/JMI/IEC/2014) and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Appendices

Appendix-A

Training protocol

The training protocol starts with a 15-min warm-up consisting of general static stretches, biceps curls, push-ups, light jog, knee to chest, etc., and ends with a 10 min cooldown.

The schedule given is for week 1 and week 2. Alternative weeks of high and low-volume training will be repeated the same, alternatively for 6 weeks.

Day

Week-1

Week-2

Monday

Back squat- 70% × 5 × 3

Clean pull- 75% × 4 × 3

Snatch push press- 75% × 4 × 5

Front squat- 75% × 5 × 3

Snatch pull- 75% × 4 × 3

Overhead squat- 65% × 3 × 2

Push press- 70% × 5 × 5

Tuesday

Snatch – 75% × 1 × 5

Power clean & power jerk- 75% × 2 × 4

Deadlifts- 85% × 4 × 3

Clean & jerk- 80% × 1 × 3

Power snatch- 75% × 2 × 4

Russian deadlifts- 85% × 4 × 3

Wednesday

Active rest- consists of recreational games like volleyball, football, etc

Active rest- consists of recreational games like volleyball, football, etc

Thursday

Front squat- 70% × 3 × 2

Snatch pull- 75% × 3 × 3

Overhead squat- 65% × 4 × 3

Push press- 80% × 3 × 5

Back squat- 70% × 3 × 2

Clean pull-80% × 3 × 3

Snatch push–pull- 70% × 3 × 5

Bench press- 75% × 3 × 6

Friday

Clean & jerk- 80% × 1 × 3

Power snatch -75% × 2 × 4

Snatch – 75% × 1 × 5

Power clean & power jerk- 75% × 2 × 4

Saturday

Morning—Rest

Workout only in the evening

Bench pulls- 80% × 3 × 6

Deep squat with arm pulls- 70% × 3 × 6

Leg press- 75% × 2 × 4

Morning—Rest

Workout only in the evening

Bench pulls- 80% × 3 × 6

Deep squat with arm pulls- 70% × 3 × 6

Leg press- 75% × 2 × 4

Sunday

Recovery day

Sauna and massage session

Recovery day

Sauna and massage session

Appendix B

Baseline training protocol

The training protocol starts with a 10–15-min warm-up consisting of general static stretches, biceps curls, push-ups, light jog, back stretch and ends with a 10 min cooldown. The schedule given is for week 1 and for progression an increase in intensities by 1–2% per week (assuming good form of technique) until a back-off week was necessary.

Day

Week-1

Monday

Snatch: 75% × 5 × 3

2 Hang Clean + 1 Jerk: 70% × 5 × 3

Back Squat: 75% × 5 × 5

Core and Lower Back 5 × 3

Wednesday

Hang Snatch: 70% × 5 × 3

Clean and Jerk: 75% × 5 × 2

Front Squat: 80% × 5 × 3

Strict Press: 75% × 5 × 5

Friday

Snatch: Single at 90 + % then 85% × 2 × 2

Clean and Jerk: Single at 90% + then 85% × 2 × 2

Clean Deadlift: 75% × 3 × 5

Core and Lower Back

Saturday

2 Muscle Snatch + 1 Overhead Squat: 3 × 3 Light by feel

Power Clean + Power Jerk: 60% × 3 × 2

Push Press: 80% × 5 × 3

Pull-Ups: 3 Sets of Max Reps

Sunday

Recovery day

Sauna and massage session

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Faizan, M., Ahuja, A., Ansari, S. et al. Effect of 6-week combined training on salivary cortisol levels, total Olympic lifting performance and anxiety levels in elite male Olympic weightlifters. Sport Sci Health 20, 55–64 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-023-01064-w

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