# Relationship Between the Total Quality Recovery Scale and Race Performance in Competitive College Swimmers over Two Seasons

## TL;DR

This study shows that better recovery status in college swimmers is linked to improved race performance, especially when recovery is optimized over the weeks leading up to a race.

## Contribution

The study introduces the use of TQRewma ratios to assess recovery and performance in swimmers over multiple weeks.

## Key findings

- Higher TQR scores were associated with a 3.13 times greater chance of performance improvement.
- Optimizing the TQRewma ratio for 7d:21d and 7d:28d significantly increased performance odds.
- Monitoring recovery over several weeks is crucial for enhancing race performance.

## Abstract

Background: Tapering, a period of reduced training load following intense training, contributes to performance enhancement. However, research on recovery status during tapering is limited. This study investigates the impact of recovery status on race performance. Methods: Total quality recovery (TQR) scale scores were monitored over two seasons in 22 college competitive swimmers (age: 19.7 ± 1.8 years), including 6 females. They participated voluntarily in the study. Rolling averages (TQRra) and exponentially weighted moving averages (TQRewma) over 7, 14, 21, and 28 days before the race were calculated. Performance data from 550 race days were analyzed by quartiles, and odds ratios were computed for TQR-related variables against race performance improvements. Results: The median TQR was 11 (interquartile range: 10–13). Seasonal bests were achieved in 31.6% of races (174 of 550). The highest odds ratios (ORs) for performance improvement in the highest quartile (Q4) of TQR and z-TQR were 3.13 (p < 0.001) and 4.35 (p < 0.001), respectively. Significant ratios for TQRewma were observed for 7d:21d (OR: 2.62, p < 0.001) and 7d:28d (OR: 2.48, p < 0.001) comparisons. Conclusions: Better recovery status on race day has been associated with improved swimming performance. Additionally, optimizing the TQRewma ratio of the most recent 7 days compared to the preceding 21 to 28 days may further enhance race performance. It highlights the need to monitor an athlete’s recovery over several weeks as an important pre-race strategy.