Heart rate variability and soccer training: a case study

• Main Author: Bara-Filho,Maurício Gattás
• Publication Date: 2013
• Other Authors: Freitas,Daniel Schimitz, Moreira,Débora, Matta,Marcelo de Oliveira, Lima,Jorge Roberto Perrout de, Nakamura,Fábio Yuzo
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Motriz (Online)
• Download full: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1980-65742013000100017
• topic: Soccer; Heart rate; Variability

The aim of this study was to monitor changes in HRV indices of two players of the same soccer team during a training period. Training loads of each session of the 3-week period were monitored by means of the training impulses (TRIMP) method. Resting RR intervals at supine position were obtained at five moments over 3-week period. The HRV indices (SD1, SDNN, RMSSD and HF) followed similar inter-subject patterns. They had similar values at M1 and, from M2, these variables were greater in athlete 1 than in athlete 2. At M2 and M4, athlete 1 presented a parasympathetic rebound, especially in SD1, SDNN and RMSSD, whereas athlete 2 presented reduction of these indices. We can advance that indices of HRV can be useful to monitor the effects of soccer training/competitive loads on parasympathetic modulation, being sensitive to both individual characteristics and to periods of stress and recovery.