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Heart rate dynamics after controlled training followed by a home-based exercise program

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Abstract

Daily aerobic training results in autonomic control of the heart toward vagal dominance. The constancy of vagal dominance after controlled training followed by a home-based training program in accordance with contemporary guidelines is not known. We set out here to study whether the vagal dominance induced by 8 weeks of controlled aerobic training is preserved after a 10-month home-based training program. For the controlled study, healthy men were randomized as training (n=18) and control subjects (n=6). The training was started by a supervised 8-week period with six training sessions a week [45 (15) min each] at an intensity of 70–80% of maximum heart rate, followed by a home-based training program for 10 months in accordance with the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations. Cardiovascular autonomic function was assessed by analyzing HR variability over a 24-h period and separately during the night hours (midnight–6 a.m.). Maximal running performance improved during the controlled training 16 (7)% (range 4–31%, P<0.001) and remained 8 (8)% (range −3 to 23%, P<0.001) above the baseline level after the home-based training program. At night, the vagally mediated high-frequency (HF) power of R-R intervals increased during the controlled training from 6.7 (1.3) to 7.3 (1.1) ln ms2 (P<0.001) and remained higher than the baseline after the home-based training [7.0 (1.3) ln ms2, P<0.05]. The changes in running performance correlated with the changes in HF power at night (r=0.41, P<0.05) and over 24 h (r=0.44, P<0.05) after the home-based training program. Similarly, the changes in body mass index correlated with the changes in HF power over 24 h (r=−0.44, P<0.05) after the home-based training program. The high vagal outflow to the heart after the home-based training is associated with good physical performance and body mass control.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by grants from the Ministry of Education (Helsinki, Finland) and the Medical Council of the Academy of Finland (Helsinki, Finland). The authors appreciate the technical and financial support received from Polar Electro (Kempele, Finland) and the generous help from Heart Signal (Kempele, Finland).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Merikoski Rehabilitation and Research Center, Kasarmintie 13, 90100, Oulu, Finland

    Arto J. Hautala, Timo H. Mäkikallio, Antti Kiviniemi & Mikko P. Tulppo

  2. Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Arto J. Hautala, Timo H. Mäkikallio, Heikki V. Huikuri & Mikko P. Tulppo

  3. Polar Electro, Kempele, Finland

    Raija T. Laukkanen & Seppo Nissilä

  4. Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Raija T. Laukkanen

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  1. Arto J. Hautala
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  2. Timo H. Mäkikallio
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  3. Antti Kiviniemi
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  6. Heikki V. Huikuri
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Correspondence to Mikko P. Tulppo.

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Hautala, A.J., Mäkikallio, T.H., Kiviniemi, A. et al. Heart rate dynamics after controlled training followed by a home-based exercise program. Eur J Appl Physiol 92, 289–297 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1077-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1077-6

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