Training methods and planning
The Role of Autogenic Training under Heavy Training Loads in Advanced Weightlifters
English summary of Tyazhelaya Atletika. Ezhegodnik 1982 (Moscow: Fizkultura i Sport, 1982), pp. 23–24: the text is paraphrased, not translated; data tables are given in full with English labels.
Method
- Subjects: 3 Masters of Sport of International Class, 8 Masters of Sport and 3 Candidate Masters, aged 19–29. All were trained in autogenic training (AT) and practised it 2–3 times a day.
- Modified AT: settling down; warmth and relaxation from the limbs to the face; regulating breathing and heart activity; confidence and a positive attitude to heavy loads; mobilising for the tasks ahead; activation. After training it lasted 17–21 min.
- Design: two four-week cycles with equal loads, one with AT and one without, each before a major competition.
- Measures: heart rate, blood pressure (Korotkov), skin temperature, and well-being, activity and mood (Doskin's method).
Table. Heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature and well-being/activity/mood in two identical sessions with and without AT (early recovery)
| Indicator | Before training | Recovery, min | ||
| 1st | 25th, without AT | 25th, with AT | ||
| Heart rate, beats/min | 72.5 ± 2.1 | 141.2 ± 6.0 | 85.2 ± 3.2 | 73.3 ± 2.2 |
| Systolic BP, mm Hg | 119.0 ± 2.8 | 127.4 ± 3.6 | 114.6 ± 3.0 | 114.9 ± 2.4 |
| Diastolic BP, mm Hg | 66.9 ± 1.5 | 72.0 ± 2.6 | 71.4 ± 2.3 | 67.1 ± 2.1 |
| Skin temperature, back of left hand, °C | 31.1 ± 0.7 | 33.6 ± 0.7 | 32.5 ± 0.6 | 32.7 ± 0.3 |
| Well-being, points | 5.34 ± 0.2 | 4.57 ± 0.15 | 4.57 ± 0.18 | 5.34 ± 0.3 |
| Activity, points | 5.27 ± 0.13 | 4.45 ± 0.18 | 4.52 ± 0.15 | 5.07 ± 0.14 |
| Mood, points | 5.47 ± 0.2 | 5.11 ± 0.15 | 5.03 ± 0.19 | 5.40 ± 0.20 |
Values are x̄ ± m. The text puts diastolic pressure without AT 4.3 mm Hg above baseline; the table gives 4.5.
Results
- With ordinary rest the indicators had not recovered by 25 min. With AT, heart rate and diastolic pressure returned to baseline; systolic pressure did not differ between conditions.
- At 20 min: heart rate 68.7 ± 1.7 with AT against 92.4 ± 2.2 without; skin temperature 35.7 ± 0.5° against 33.0 ± 0.6°.
- Well-being, activity and mood improved, and the load completed with AT was 11% higher. The authors recommend the method.