Endurance Performance and Nocturnal HRV Indices

Abstract

The effects of endurance training on endurance performance characteristics and cardiac autonomic modulation during night sleep were investigated. Twenty-four sedentary subjects trained over four weeks two hours per week at an average running intensity of 76+/-4% of their heart rate reserve. The R to R ECG-intervals were recorded and heart rate variability indices including high frequency power (HFP) were calculated for the nights following the training days every week. The subjects were divided into responders and non-responders according to the improvements in the maximal velocity of the incremental treadmill test (v(max)). The responders improved their v(max) by 10.9+/-46 % (p< 0.001) while no changes were observed in the non-responders (1.6+/-3.0%), although there were no differences in any training load variables between the groups. In the responders nocturnal HFP was significantly higher during the fourth training week compared to the first training week (p=0.036). Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between the change in v(max) and the change in nocturnal HFP (r=0.482, p=0.042). It was concluded that after similar training, an increase in cardiac vagal modulation was related to improved v(max) in the sedentary subjects.

Heart rate variability is related to training load variables in interval running exercises

“…Similar results to Nummela et al (2010) were found by Buchheit et al (2010) who studied the relationship between endurance performance and HRV by investigating the effects of an 8-week training period to HR-derived indices. They found increased resting vagal-related indices in those subjects who decreased their running time in a 10 km test run and were qualified as "responders" to the training program.…”

“…Usually an overreaching, hard training period is found to decrease nocturnal HRV (Hynynen et al 2007;Pichot et al 2000). Also a link between endurance performance and nocturnal HRV has been found in the study of Nummela et al (2010). The effects of a four-week endurance training period on post-exercise nocturnal HRV and on endurance performance were investigated and a link was found between the improved maximal running speed and increased nocturnal HRV when the subjects were divided into responders and non-responders according to the improvements in maximal treadmill test .…”

Observación automatizada: la variabilidad de la frecuencia cardíaca y su relación con las variables psicológicas determinantes del rendimiento en nadadores jóvenes

“…Other authors have reported similar results for endurance sports (Buchheit et al, 2010;Garet et al, 2004). Nummela et al (2010) observed that changes in maximum velocity reached on a treadmill by sedentary individuals after a period of training were consistent with changes in parasympathetic indices. Our study suggests that monitoring vagal activity-related variables could be useful for predicting performance in young athletes throughout the different stages of their development.…”

Recovery of rescuers from a 24-h shift and its association with aerobic fitness

“…Based on these results, good aerobic fitness did not associate with HRV, although increased RMSSD and SDNN were measures reflecting enhanced parasympathetic functioning of ANS. Although this study has not looked at intervention effects of an exercise training program, previous literature shows that exercise training improves HRV and autonomic control of the heart [22,23]. Improved autonomic control of the heart, in turn, enhances recovery processes.…”