The effects of fitness training on the physiological stress response

Abstract

Abstract The favourable psychological and physiological profile found in fit sportsmen does not necessarily follow from their exercise behaviour. Alternatively it may depend on endowment and/or self–selection. In that case, participation in regular exercise may not always result in a reduction of susceptibility to stress. The present article reviews several well–controlled laboratory studies that have directly examined the effect of fitness training programmes on the physiological responses to a set of standardized stressors. It was generally expected that fitness training would enhance psychological stress resistance and thus mitigate the physiological response to stress. The results of most studies belie these expectations. Intensive training programmes of up to 8 months do not change stress reactivity, even if initially low fit and high stress–reactive subjects are used. The failure to find a training effect on the intensity of the stress reactions in laboratory studies does not rule out possible psych...