Physiological effects of progressive relaxation in trained runners during submaximal treadmill exercise

To determine the physiological effects of a one-week progressive relaxation protocol on exercise efficiency, five trained, male runners volunteered to participate in this study. The results of this study show that it is possible to reduce heart rate during progressive relaxation at rest, after one week of training. In addition, the results of this study indicate that although there was a significant reduction in minute ventilation during exercise, VO 2 did not change. These results suggests that there was no carry-over effect while exercising, therefore one week of progressive relaxation may not be long enough or an effective technique to conserve energy while exercising. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)