Monitoring endurance running performance using cardiac parasympathetic function

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology 2010-04, Vol.108 (6), p.1153-1167
• Main Authors: Buchheit, Martin, Chivot, A., Parouty, J., Mercier, D., Al Haddad, H., Laursen, P. B., Ahmaidi, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heart - innervation; Heart - physiology; Heart Rate - physiology; Human Physiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Monitoring, Physiologic - methods; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original Article; Parasympathetic Nervous System - physiology; Physical Endurance - physiology; Physical fitness; Reproducibility of Results; Running - physiology; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sports Medicine; Task Performance and Analysis; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-009-1317-x

The aims of the present study were to (1) assess relationships between running performance and parasympathetic function both at rest and following exercise, and (2) examine changes in heart rate (HR)-derived indices throughout an 8-week period training program in runners. In 14 moderately trained runners (36 ± 7 years), resting vagal-related HR variability (HRV) indices were measured daily, while exercise HR and post-exercise HR recovery (HRR) and HRV indices were measured fortnightly. Maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and 10 km running performance were assessed before and after the training intervention. Correlations ( r  > 0.60, P