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Does the cool-down content affect cortisol and testosterone production after a whole-body workout? A pilot study

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Abstract

Purpose

The Tactical Fitness (TACFIT®) workout has been created merging the characteristics of both high-intensity interval training and functional training, added with compensatory cool-down exercises to speed-up recovery. Aims of our research were to study the effects of two different cool-down strategies, on cortisol and testosterone responses, together with ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), to verify if they have an important role in the modulation of the endocrine responses.

Methods

Nine healthy trained men (34.22 ± 7.42 years) performed the same workout, with (TACFIT® + Asanas protocol) and without (TACFIT® protocol) Asanas postures, in different days. Saliva was collected immediately before (T0) and after (T1) each workout, one hour later its end (T2), at 11:00 p.m. (T3), at 7:00 a.m. (T4) of the following day, and during a non-training day. Before and after each workout the RPE was recorded.

Results

Workouts elicited a different cortisol and testosterone production, respect to non-training day. TACFIT® + Asanas protocol elicited lower salivary cortisol level (p = 0.002) and cortisol to testosterone ratio (p = 0.001) and higher salivary testosterone level (p = 0.01) at T2. Cortisol to testosterone ratio has been shown lower also at T3 (p = 0.02) and T4 (p = 0.04) respect to TACFIT® protocol. TACFIT® + Asanas protocol elicited a lower RPE at T1 (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

TACFIT® workouts can significantly modify salivary cortisol, testosterone, and their ratio, for several hours. The insertion of the Asanas at the end of a TACFIT® workout seems to determine lower salivary cortisol and cortisol to testosterone ratio, and higher testosterone respect to a traditional TACFIT® workout.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Christopher Berrie for linguistic revision of the manuscript, and they are grateful to Perla Village (Chieti, Italy) for its technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrine Section, Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, ‘G. d’Annunzio’ University of Chieti–Pescara, Via L. Polacchi, 11, 66100, Chieti, Italy

    A. Di Blasio, S. Di Santo, G. Marchetti, S. Tavoletta, I. Bucci & G. Napolitano

  2. Department of Psychological Sciences, Health and Territory, ‘G. d’Annunzio’ University of Chieti–Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31, 66100, Chieti, Italy

    A. Tranquilli

  3. Sport and Exercise Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128, Padova, Italy

    M. Bergamin & V. Bullo

  4. Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, S.S. 554, Monserrato, 09042, Cagliari, Italy

    L. Cugusi

  5. TACFIT®/CST, Gallarate, Italy

    A. Gallazzi

  6. Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, c/o University Centre of Sports Medicine, ‘G. d’Annunzio’ University of Chieti–Pescara, Viale Abruzzo 322, 66013, Chieti Scalo, Italy

    A. Di Blasio

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  1. A. Di Blasio
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  2. A. Tranquilli
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  3. S. Di Santo
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  4. G. Marchetti
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  5. M. Bergamin
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  6. V. Bullo
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  7. L. Cugusi
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  8. S. Tavoletta
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  9. A. Gallazzi
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  10. I. Bucci
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  11. G. Napolitano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Di Blasio.

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Conflict of interest

Gallazzi A is the European director of TACFIT®/CST. Tranquilli A is TACFIT®/CST instructor, Clubbel instructor, Tacfit Survival Jujitsu instructor. The other authors have no competing interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

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

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Di Blasio, A., Tranquilli, A., Di Santo, S. et al. Does the cool-down content affect cortisol and testosterone production after a whole-body workout? A pilot study. Sport Sci Health 14, 579–586 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-018-0465-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-018-0465-y

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