Preseason Training Improves Perception of Fatigue and Recovery From a Futsal Training Session.

PURPOSE: To compare the posttraining recovery timeline of elite Brazilian futsal athletes before (Pre-PS) and after 10 weeks of the preseason (Post-PS) period of high-intensity technical-tactical training. METHODS: At the start (n = 13) and at the end of the preseason (n = 7), under-20 male futsal players undertook fitness testing for maximal aerobic power, the countermovement jump (CMJ), and the 10-m sprint with change of direction. Furthermore, at both Pre-PS and Post-PS, the players participated in a training session where performance and psychophysiological measures were recorded before, immediately, 3, 24, and 48 hours postsession. The measures included CMJ, 10-m sprint, creatine kinase, Total Quality Recovery Scale, and Brunel Mood Scale. Effect size (ES) analyses compared fitness and posttraining recovery values for each parameter at Pre-PS versus Post-PS. RESULTS: Only trivial ES (-0.02 to 0.11) was evident in maximal aerobic power, CMJ, and 10-m sprint at Post-PS compared with Pre-PS. For the timeline of recovery, only trivial and small ESs were evident for the 10-m sprint (-0.12 to 0.49), though CMJ recovery was improved at 3 hours (0.87) and 48 hours (1.27) at Post-PS and creatine kinase was lower at 48 hours (-1.33) at Post-PS. Perception of recovery was improved in Post-PS at 3 hours (1.50) and 24 hours postsession (0.92). Furthermore, perception of effort was lower immediately after the session (-0.29), fatigue was lower at 3 hours (-0.63), and vigor responses were improved in all postseason assessments (0.59 to 1.13). CONCLUSION: Despite minimal changes in fitness, preseason training attenuated players' perception of effort and fatigue and improved their recovery profile following a high-intensity technical-tactical training session.

Influence of Faster and Slower Recovery-Profile Classifications, Self-Reported Sleep, Acute Training Load, and Phase of the Microcycle on Perceived Recovery in Futsal Players.

PURPOSE: To determine whether daily perceived recovery is explained from a multifactorial single-session classification of recovery (ie, faster vs slower) or other circumstantial factors (ie, previous training load, self-reported sleep, or phase of the microcycle). METHODS: Nineteen elite male futsal players were initially allocated to a recovery-classification group (faster recovery, slower physiological, or slower perceptual) based on previous research using a multifactorial cluster-analysis technique. During 4 ensuing weeks of preseason, training loads were monitored via player load, training impulse, and session rating of perceived exertion. Before each day's training, players reported their perception of recovery (Total Quality of Recovery scale [TQR]) and the number of hours and perceived quality of sleep the night prior. A hierarchical linear mixed model was used to analyze the effect of the different recovery profiles, training load, sleep, and phase of the microcycle (ie, start, middle, end) on daily TQR. RESULTS: The recovery classification of players (P = .20), training load (training impulse, P = .32; player load, P = .23; session rating of perceived exertion, P = .46), and self-reported hours slept the night before (P = .45) did not significantly influence TQR. However, perceived sleep quality (P < .01) and phase of the microcycle (P < .01) were significantly associated with TQR (r2 = .41). CONCLUSIONS: Neither recovery classification nor prior training load influenced perceived recovery during the preseason. However, higher TQR was evident with better self-reported sleep quality, whereas lower values were associated with phases of the training week.

Changes in systolic arterial pressure variability are associated with the decreased aerobic performance of rats subjected to physical exercise in the heat.

Enhanced cardiovascular strain is one of the factors that explains degraded aerobic capacity in hot environments. The cardiovascular system is regulated by the autonomic nervous system, whose activity can be indirectly evaluated by analyzing heart rate variability (HRV) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) variability. However, no study has addressed whether HRV or SAP variability can predict aerobic performance during a single bout of exercise. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether there is an association between cardiovascular variability and performance in rats subjected to treadmill running at two ambient temperatures. In addition, this study investigated whether the heat-induced changes in cardiovascular variability and reductions in performance are associated with each other. Male Wistar rats were implanted with a catheter into their carotid artery for pulsatile blood pressure recordings. After recovery from surgery, the animals were subjected to incremental-speed exercise until they were fatigued under temperate (25°C) and hot (35°C) conditions. Impaired performance and exaggerated cardiovascular responses were observed in the hot relative to the temperate environment. Significant and negative correlations between most of the SAP variability components (standard deviation, variance, very low frequency [VLF], and low frequency [LF]) at the earlier stages of exercise and total exercise time were observed in both environmental conditions. Furthermore, the heat-induced changes in the sympathetic components of SAP variability (VLF and LF) were associated with heat-induced impairments in performance. Overall, the results indicate that SAP variability at the beginning of exercise predicts the acute performance of rats. Our findings also suggest that heat impairments in aerobic performance are associated with changes in cardiovascular autonomic control.

Metabolic Demand and Internal Training Load in Technical-Tactical Training Sessions of Professional Futsal Players.

Wilke, CF, Ramos, GP, Pacheco, DAS, Santos, WHM, Diniz, MSL, Gonçalves, GGP, Marins, JCB, Wanner, SP, and Silami-Garcia, E. Metabolic demand and internal training load in technical-tactical training sessions of professional futsal players. J Strength Cond Res 30(8): 2330-2340, 2016-The aim of the study was to characterize aspects of technical-tactical training sessions of a professional futsal team. We addressed 4 specific aims: characterize the metabolic demands and intensity of these training sessions, compare the training intensity among players of different positions, compare the intensity of different futsal-specific activities (4 × 4, 6 × 4, and match simulation), and investigate the association between an objective (training impulse; TRIMP) and a subjective method (session rating of perceived exertion; sRPE) of measuring a player's internal training load. Twelve top-level futsal players performed an incremental exercise to determine their maximal oxygen consumption, maximal heart rate (HRmax), ventilatory threshold (VT), and respiratory compensation point (RCP). Each player's HR and RPE were measured and used to calculate energy expenditure, TRIMP, and sRPE during 37 training sessions over 8 weeks. The average intensity was 74 ± 4% of HRmax, which corresponded to 9.3 kcal·min. The players trained at intensities above the RCP, between the RCP and VT and below the VT for 20 ± 8%, 28 ± 6%, and 51 ± 10% of the session duration, respectively. Wingers, defenders, and pivots exercised at a similar average intensity but with different intensity distributions. No difference in intensity was found between the 3 typical activities. A strong correlation between the average daily TRIMP and sRPE was observed; however, this relationship was significant for only 4 of 12 players, indicating that sRPE is a useful tool for monitoring training loads but that it should be interpreted for each player individually rather than collectively.