The purpose of this study was to clarify whether training effects that appear after the training camp are affected by a worsening of psychological conditions during the camp. Fifteen cross-country skiers having a superior athletic ability were used as the subjects of this study. The skiers participated in the high altitude training camp for 3 weeks, which was carried out according to the method of Living High-Training Low. Psychological stress responses during the training camp were estimated based on the two-dimensional mood scale (TMS) and 2 constituents of saliva (cortisol and chromogranin A). TMS was determined to estimate subjective mood conditions, i.e., hedonic tone and negative arousal level as indicators of stress response, whereas cortisol and chromogranin A levels were determined as the indicators of stress response in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic/adrenomedullary (S/A) system, respectively. The extent of physiological burden from exercise during the training camp was evaluated by training impulse (TRIMP). The amount of maximal oxygen uptake was determined before and after the camp to evaluate the high altitude training effects. In some of the subjects, the training effects were not significant after the training camp because the maximal oxygen uptake was decreased after the camp. There was a tendency for the hedonic tone to decrease and negative arousal level to increase. The cortisol level of saliva taken immediately after getting up was significantly higher in the later period of camp than the early period. Chromogranin A level of saliva taken in the afternoon was also significantly higher in the later period of camp. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in TRIMP between the subjects whose training effects were significant and those who were not significant. The present study suggested that the effectiveness of high altitude training might be inhibited by psychological stress response due to the enhancement of activities in the HPA axis and S/A system during the training camp.

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