Abstract
Purpose
To analyze if live high–train low (LHTL) effectiveness is improved when daily training is guided by heart rate variability (HRV).
Methods
Twenty-four elite Nordic skiers took part in a 15-day LHTL study and were randomized into a HRV-guided training hypoxic group (H-HRV, n = 9, sleeping in normobaric hypoxia, FiO2 = 15.0%) and two predefined training groups sleeping either in hypoxia (H, n = 9, FiO2 = 15.0%) or normoxia (N, n = 6). HRV and training loads (TL) were recorded daily. Prior (Pre), one (Post-1), and 21 days (Post-21) following LHTL, athletes performed a 10-km roller-ski test, and a treadmill test for determination of \(\dot {V}{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}}}\) was performed at Pre and Post-1.
Results
Some HRV parameters measured in supine position were different between H-HRV and H: low and high (HF) frequency power in absolute (ms2) (16.0 ± 35.1 vs. 137.0 ± 54.9%, p = 0.05) and normalized units (− 3.8 ± 10.1 vs. 53.0 ± 19.5%, p = 0.02), HF(nu) (6.3 ± 6.8 vs. − 13.7 ± 8.0%, p = 0.03) as well as heart rate (3.7 ± 6.3 vs. 12.3 ± 4.1%, p = 0.008). At Post-1, \(\dot {V}{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}}}\) was improved in H-HRV and H (3.8 ± 3.1%; p = 0.02 vs. 3.0 ± 4.4%; p = 0.08) but not in N (0.9 ± 5.1%; p = 0.7). Only H-HRV improved the roller-ski performance at Post-21 (− 2.7 ± 3.6%, p = 0.05).
Conclusion
The daily individualization of TL reduced the decrease in autonomic nervous system parasympathetic activity commonly associated with LHTL. The improved performance and oxygen consumption in the two LHTL groups confirm the effectiveness of LHTL even in elite endurance athletes.
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Abbreviations
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- FFT:
-
Fast Fourier transform
- FiO2 :
-
Inspired fraction of oxygen
- H:
-
Hypoxic
- HF:
-
High-frequency power
- HFnu:
-
High-frequency power in normalized units
- Hbmass :
-
Hemoglobin mass
- HR:
-
Heart rate
- HRV:
-
Heart rate variability
- LF:
-
Low-frequency power
- LFnu:
-
Low-frequency power in normalized units
- LHTL:
-
Live high–train low
- N:
-
Normoxic
- PiO2 :
-
Partial pressure of inspired oxygen
- QSFMS:
-
Questionnaire of the French Society of Sports Medicine
- SpO2 :
-
Pulse oxygen saturation
- TL:
-
Training load
- \({\dot {V}_{\text{E}}}\)/\(\dot {V}{\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_2}\) :
-
Ventilatory equivalent of carbon dioxide
- \({\dot {V}_{\text{E}}}\)/\(\dot {V}{{\text{O}}_2}\) :
-
Ventilatory equivalent of oxygen
- \(\dot {V}{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}}}\) :
-
Maximal oxygen consumption
- VT1:
-
First ventilatory threshold
- VT2:
-
Second ventilatory threshold
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Acknowledgements
We thank the athletes of the French national Nordic-combined and Cross-country skiing (men and women) teams and their coaches: for Nordic-combined—Jérôme Laheurte and Cyril Michaud-Fidey; for cross-country skiing—Vincent Vittoz and Thibaut Chene.
Funding
No external funding was received for this work from NIH; Welcome Trust; HHMI; others.
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Communicated by Massimo Pagani.
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Schmitt, L., Willis, S.J., Fardel, A. et al. Live high–train low guided by daily heart rate variability in elite Nordic-skiers. Eur J Appl Physiol 118, 419–428 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3784-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3784-9