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. 2024 May 25;12(6):143.
doi: 10.3390/sports12060143.

Autonomic Rebound Following Maximal Exercise in Bodybuilders and Recreationally Active Participants

Brian Kliszczewicz  1 , Gabe Wilner  1 , Andre Canino  1 , Pedro Chung  1 , Abigail Nickel  1 , Keilah Vaughan  1 , Cherilyn McLester  1 , Robert Buresh  1
Affiliations

Autonomic Rebound Following Maximal Exercise in Bodybuilders and Recreationally Active Participants

Brian Kliszczewicz et al. Sports (Basel). .

Abstract

The off-season for natural bodybuilders (BB) is characterized by increased training loads and fluctuations in caloric intake, which may lead to insufficient recovery. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a pivotal role in recovery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate resting ANS activity and recovery following a maximal exercise bout in off-season BB and compare them to those of recreationally active individuals. Fifteen males participated; 7 recreationally active (RA) (24.6 ± 2.1 years, 81.1 ± 10.8 kg) and 8 BB (21.8 ± 2.9 years, 89.3 ± 13.0 kg). Each performed a graded exercise test. Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured at rest and during a 45 min recovery period. HRV was analyzed as: root mean square of successive differences (lnRMSSD), standard deviation of normal-to-normal sinus beats (lnSDNN), high frequency (lnHF), low frequency (lnLF), and the ratio of low frequency to high frequency (lnLF/lnHF). A one-way ANOVA showed no differences for any resting marker of HRV, HR, and HR recovery. A significant depression in all markers of HRV was observed in the BB group at the 15 min point, and no recovery was observed before 45 min when compared to RA. The results of this study demonstrated depressed HRV recovery following the graded exercise test in BB when compared to the RA group.

Keywords: bodybuilding; heart rate variability; resistance training.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Time domain measures of heart rate variability before and after the graded exercise test between BB (triangle with dashed line) and RA (circle with solid line). (A) The time course of the natural log of RMSSD between BB and RA; (B) the time course of the natural log of SDNN between BB and RA. * denotes significant difference between groups.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Frequency domain measures of heart rate variability before and after the graded exercise test between BB (triangle with dashed line) and RA (circle with solid line). (A) The time course of the natural log of HF between BB and RA; (B) the time course of the natural log of LF between BB and RA. * denotes significant difference between groups.
Figure 3
Figure 3
lnLF/lnHF ratio variability before and after the graded exercise test between BB (triangle with dashed line) and RA (circle with solid line) (A). Heart rate measurements before and after the graded exercise test between BB (triangle with dashed line) and RA (circle with solid line) (B). * denotes significant difference between groups.
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