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. 2023 Sep 12;8(3):134.
doi: 10.3390/jfmk8030134.

Exercise Cardiac Load and Autonomic Nervous System Recovery during In-Season Training: The Impact on Speed Deterioration in American Football Athletes

Eric Renaghan  1 , Harrison L Wittels  2 , Luis A Feigenbaum  1   3 , Michael Joseph Wishon  2 , Stephanie Chong  2 , Eva Danielle Wittels  2 , Stephanie Hendricks  2 , Dustin Hecocks  2 , Kyle Bellamy  4 , Joe Girardi  3 , Stephen Lee  5 , Tri Vo  6 , Samantha M McDonald  2   7 , S Howard Wittels  2   8   9   10
Affiliations

Exercise Cardiac Load and Autonomic Nervous System Recovery during In-Season Training: The Impact on Speed Deterioration in American Football Athletes

Eric Renaghan et al. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. .

Abstract

Fully restoring autonomic nervous system (ANS) function is paramount for peak sports performance. Training programs failing to provide sufficient recovery, especially during the in-season, may negatively affect performance. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the physiological workload of collegiate football training on ANS recovery and function during the in-season. Football athletes recruited from a D1 college in the southeastern US were prospectively followed during their 13-week "in-season". Athletes wore armband monitors equipped with ECG and inertial movement capabilities that measured exercise cardiac load (ECL; total heartbeats) and maximum running speed during and baseline heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV) 24 h post-training. These metrics represented physiological load (ECL = HR·Duration), ANS function, and recovery, respectively. Linear regression models evaluated the associations between ECL, baseline HR, HRV, and maximum running speed. Athletes (n = 30) were 20.2 ± 1.5 years, mostly non-Hispanic Black (80.0%). Negative associations were observed between acute and cumulative exposures of ECLs and running speed (β = -0.11 ± 0.00, p < 0.0000 and β = -0.15 ± 0.04, p < 0.0000, respectively). Similarly, negative associations were found between baseline HR and running speed (β = -0.45 ± 0.12, 95% CI: -0.70, -0.19; p = 0.001). HRV metrics were positively associated with running speed: (SDNN: β = 0.32 ± 0.09, p < 0.03 and rMSSD: β = 0.35 ± 0.11, p < 0.02). Our study demonstrated that exposure to high ECLs, both acutely and cumulatively, may negatively influence maximum running speed, which may manifest in a deteriorating ANS. Further research should continue identifying optimal training: recovery ratios during off-, pre-, and in-season phases.

Keywords: collegiate; exercise training; overtraining; sports; strength and conditioning.

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Conflict of interest statement

The following authors are paid employees of Tiger Tech Solutions Inc., owner of the Warfighter Monitor (WFM) used in this study: S.H.W., H.L.W., M.J.W., S.C., E.D.W., S.H., D.H. and S.M.M. Authors K.B., S.L., L.A.F. and E.R. have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic of 13-week In-Season Collegiate Football Training Program.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Correlation Between Next-Day Baseline HR and Maximum Running Speed in D1 Football Athletes.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Correlation Between HRV (SDNN) and Maximum Running Speed in D1 Football Athletes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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