Endurance training guided individually by daily heart rate variability measurements

Abstract

Purpose of this study was to test utility of heart rate variability (HRV) in daily endurance exercise prescriptions. Twenty-six healthy, moderately fit males were randomized into predefined training group (TRA, n = 8), HRV-guided training group (HRV, n = 9), and control group (n = 9). Four-week training period consisted of running sessions lasting 40 min each at either low- or high-intensity level. TRA group trained on 6 days a week, with two sessions at low and four at high intensity. Individual training program for HRV group was based on individual changes in high-frequency R-R interval oscillations measured every morning. Increase or no change in HRV resulted in high-intensity training on that day. If there was significant decrease in HRV (below reference value [10-day mean-SD] or decreasing trend for 2 days), low-intensity training or rest was prescribed. Peak oxygen consumption (VO(2peak)) and maximal running velocity (Load(max)) were measured in maximal treadmill test before and after the training. In TRA group, Load(max) increased from 15.1 +/- 1.3 to 15.7 +/- 1.2 km h(-1) (P = 0.004), whereas VO(2peak) did not change significantly (54 +/- 4 pre and 55 +/- 3 ml kg(-1) min(-1) post, P = 0.224). In HRV group, significant increases were observed in both Load(max) (from 15.5 +/- 1.0 to 16.4 +/- 1.0 km h(-1), P < 0.001) and VO(2peak) (from 56 +/- 4 to 60 +/- 5 ml kg(-1) min(-1), P = 0.002). The change in Load(max) was significantly greater in HRV group compared to TRA group (0.5 +/- 0.4 vs. 0.9 +/- 0.2 km h(-1), P = 0.048, adjusted for baseline values). No significant differences were observed in the changes of VO(2peak) between the groups. We concluded that cardiorespiratory fitness can be improved effectively by using HRV for daily training prescription.

Autonomic adaptation after traditional and reverse swimming training periodizations

“…Conversely, the decrease in sympathetic activity of the RPG was observed after periods of low training load or pre-competitive training periods (10). Moreover, the increase in parasympathetic modulation on the RPG was confirmed by the increase in RMSSD, NN50 and pNN50, and the increase in sympathetic modulation in the TPG was ratified by the lower RMSSD, NN50 and PNN50 values (12). SDNN and total power parameters presented a decreased tendency in the TPG after training, opposed to the increase reached in the RPG, that evidences an increase in parasympathetic control of the sympatheticvagal balance (28).…”

Autonomic cardiac regulation and morpho-physiological responses to eight week training preparation in junior soccer players

“…A supine position is widely used for ANS activity assessment in athletes (Aubert, Seps, & Beckers, 2003;Buchheit, 2014;Hedelin, Bjerle, & Henriksson-Larsén, 2001;Pichot et al, 2000) despite the finding that a plateau in HF power in individuals with a low resting HR may occur (Goldberger, Challapalli, Tung, Parker, & Kadish, 2001;Kiviniemi et al, 2007;Plews, Laursen, Stanley, Kilding, & Buchheit, 2013). Therefore, to measure changes in the vagal activity in trained athletes, it has been recommended that they are measured in an upright position (Kiviniemi et al, 2007).…”

“…Both, high frequency (HF) oscillations in RR intervals (Akselrod et al, 1981;Pichot et al, 2000), and a root of mean square successive differences (rMSSD) (Buchheit, 2014) have been suggested to reflect the cardiac vagal outflow, while reciprocal changes between vagal and sympathetic activity are evaluated via analysis of low frequency power LF (Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology, 1996) and LF/HF (Ori, Monir, Weiss, Sayhouni, & Singer, 1992), respectively. A supine position is widely used for ANS activity assessment in athletes (Aubert, Seps, & Beckers, 2003;Buchheit, 2014;Hedelin, Bjerle, & Henriksson-Larsén, 2001;Pichot et al, 2000) despite the finding that a plateau in HF power in individuals with a low resting HR may occur (Goldberger, Challapalli, Tung, Parker, & Kadish, 2001;Kiviniemi et al, 2007;Plews, Laursen, Stanley, Kilding, & Buchheit, 2013). Therefore, to measure changes in the vagal activity in trained athletes, it has been recommended that they are measured in an upright position (Kiviniemi et al, 2007).…”

“…44, no. 3, 2014, 155-163 doi: 10.5507/ag.2014 have argued that "trainability" is associated with the resting level of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, particularly vagal activity (Botek, McKune, Krejčí, Stejskal, & Gába, 2014;Boutcher et al, 2013;Hautala, Kiviniemi, & Tulppo, 2009;Hautala et al, 2003;Kiviniemi, Hautala, Kinnunen, & Tulppo, 2007;Vesterinen et al, 2013). The use of non-invasive tools, such as resting heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV), for the assessment of training status has become very popular among coaches, and athletes, respectively (Buchheit, 2014).…”

“…A supine position is widely used for ANS activity assessment in athletes (Aubert, Seps, & Beckers, 2003;Buchheit, 2014;Hedelin, Bjerle, & Henriksson-Larsén, 2001;Pichot et al, 2000) despite the finding that a plateau in HF power in individuals with a low resting HR may occur (Goldberger, Challapalli, Tung, Parker, & Kadish, 2001;Kiviniemi et al, 2007;Plews, Laursen, Stanley, Kilding, & Buchheit, 2013). Therefore, to measure changes in the vagal activity in trained athletes, it has been recommended that they are measured in an upright position (Kiviniemi et al, 2007).So far, there are two studies in young soccer players where autonomic response was assessed only in supine position in order to identify the change in training status (Buchheit, Chivot et al, 2010), and the level of fatigue (Bricout, Dechenaud, & Favre-Juvin, 2010), respectively. With respect to limitations in HRV analysis mentioned above, autonomic response to training doses in soccer players was assessed in both supine, and in the upright position.…”