To evaluate the association of serum BDNF concentration with high-intensity interval training, 12 healthy male volunteers, aged 28-48 years, completed 16-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) using ergometer. Training program consisted of >90% VO₂ peak for 60 sec separated by 60 sec active rest period for 8-12 sets twice weekly for 16-week. Maximal exercise tolerance tests were performed before (0-week), 4-week, and 16-week after the intervention program. VO₂ peak as well as peak watt was linearly increased after 4-week (9% for both VO₂ peak and peak watt) and 16-week HIIT training (15% for VO₂ peak and 18% for peak watt, p<0.01). However, there was no change in serum BDNF concentration by HIIT. On the other hand, there was a positive association of serum BDNF concentration at baseline with % increase in peak watt after the intervention (ρ=0.60, p<0.05). The association between BDNF and exercise training is still unclear, and more studies are needed to clarify the above positive association.

Kellmann and Kallus (2011) have developed a scale for evaluating recovery, which is named “The Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-76 Sport).” This scale has contributed to the remarkable development of sport psychological studies on recovery and has been translated into various languages in different countries. Moreover, it has been used as an index for providing scientifically derived support for athletes participating in world championship events and Olympic games. The usefulness of this scale has been empirically supported. However, a Japanese version of RESTQ-76 Sport has not been developed to date. The Japanese version of RESTQ-Sport 76 was developed, and its reliability and validity were examined as a new index for monitoring in athletes. Participants were university and high school students (N=681, 424 men and 257 women, aged =15-23) participating in athletic clubs and doing sports daily. Cronbach’s α was calculated to examine the internal consistency. Moreover, principal factor analysis with varimax rotation was conducted to examine the reproducibility of the factor structure, and correlation analysis was conducted with the Japanese version of POMS-S for examining the concurrent validity of the scale. The results indicated that the Japanese version of RESTQ-76 Sport had adequate reliability and validity that was similar to the original version, which supported Kellmann and Kallus (2001). In the future, this scale is expected to be a new index for evaluating the balance between stress and recovery in athletes.