Training Stress in Olympic Speed Skaters: A Psychological Perspective

Abstract

AbstractIn brief: The psychological impact of prolonged training was assessed in 11 male contenders for the 1980 US Olympic Speed Skating Team. The subjects were evaluated six months before the December 1979 Olympic Winter Trials, at the end of summer training, and immediately before and after the trials. The psychological assessment consisted of a semistructured interview and the Profile of Mood States rating scale. Results showed that the skaters selected for the team responded to training with decreasing depression and increasing vigor, reaching a psychological peak just before the trials. Those not selected fluctuated more in mood and never recovered pretraining levels of vigor.