Responses of some factors related to overtraining to a period of preparation and competition in Elite volleyball players

The purpose of this research was to investigate the responses of some factors related to overtraining to a period of preparation and competition in Elite volleyball players. Subjects were 12 elite volleyball players participating in Super League (experimental group) (age 25.8±6.5, height 191.0±8.2, weight 88.2± 8.2) and 12 healthy sedentary subjects (age 23.7±3.7, height 180.2±7.7, weight 74.6± 12.1) as control group. The experimental group performed preparation training including endurance, weight lifting and skill training, for eight weeks, as well as another 8 weeks of training including a period of volleyball competitions and routine trainings for sustaining the fitness; while the control group had no regular physical training. For measuring all hormones (ACTH, testosterone, cortisol, T/C) and peak power, all subjects attended the physiology lab and blood samples (8 ml) were taken pre-training, after 8 weeks of training and at the end of the competition period. The results revealed that ACTH, Testosterone, Cortisol, T/C had no significant differences in the three measuring points in volleyball players (p>0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in all the above variables between two groups. Peak power values at the mid-training were significantly different from the pre- training values in experimental group (p<0.05), while the increase at the end training stage were not significantly different. Based on the findings of the present study it could be concluded that during the period of preparation training and competitions in Iranian super league the markers of overtraining were not significantly changed which is an indicator of appropriate training protocol, proper recovery and adaption to training and competition.