fatigue – SEMS-journal

exercise is medicine

Compliance to training load and heart rate variability monitoring in young Swiss judokas

Introduction: Assessment of exercise training load (TL) can identify mechanisms of fatigue and injury. At present, techniques to monitor TL in young athletes are lacking. Objectives: To examine the adherence to two monitoring techniques to assess TL among young judokas. Methods: Over a 10 week study period, TL was assessed by completion of a daily training log and by weekly measurement of heart rate variability (HRV). The satisfaction to HRV method was assessed by survey at study completion. Results: Among national caliber judokas (n=10, age 16 ± 2 y, weight 63 ± 5 kg, height 169 ± 8 cm,), training logs were completed at a 98 ± 5% rate, while HRV measurement was successful 57% ± 37%. HRV was comparable to young and athletic population. Difficulties in performing HRV measurements were rated 3.3 ± 1.9 (1: not constraining to 10: extremely constraining). Conclusion: Excellent adhesion for training diary completion was only possible with regular demands from coaches for ratings. Judo seems to enhance cardiac autonomic control in young national level athletes. HRV monitoring compliance was suboptimal among young judokas and opportunities for future improvement are suggested by our data.

elite sports recovery sports science

Sleep – A Game Changer in the Athletic World?

The restorative qualities of sleep are fundamentally the basis of the individual athlete’s ability to recover and perform, and to optimally be able to challenge and control the effects of exercise regimes in high performance sport. Research consistently shows that a large percentage of the population fails to obtain the recommended 7–9 hours of sleep per night [17]. Moreover, recent years’ research has found that athletes have a high prevalence of poor sleep quality [6]. Given its implications on the recovery process, sleep affects the quality of the athlete’s training and outcome of competitions.

elite sports performance sports and society sports medicine sports nutrition team management recovery

Sports and Ramadan – influence on endurance performance

The intermittent fasting of Ramadan could affect various aspects of body physiology and biochemistry important to athletic success. Sleep time may be shortened. Disturbance of psychomotor performance, impaired vigilance and slower reactions can be observed particularly during afternoon. Food intake is limited to night-time meals. Well disciplined athletes usually maintain energy balance unless daily energy expenditures are very high. Daytime fluid depletion is inevitable if athletes exercise in the heat.