Unraveling athletic performance: Transcriptomics and external load monitoring in handball competition.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to comprehend the impact of handball practice on sub-elite athletes by investigating transcriptomic changes that occur during a match. The primary focus encompasses a dual objective: firstly, to identify and characterize these transcriptomic alterations, and secondly, to establish correlations between internal factors (gene expression), and external loads measured through Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems (EPTS variables). Ultimately, this comprehensive analysis seeks to evaluate both acute and chronic responses to exercise within the context of handball training. METHODS: The study included sixteen elite male athletes from the FC Barcelona handball second team. Blood samples were extracted at three different time points: before the match at baseline levels (T1), immediately upon completion (T2), and 24 hours after completion (T3). Differential gene expression, Gene Ontology Term and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were conducted in two comparisons: Comparison 1 (T1 vs T2) and Comparison 2 (T1 vs T3). Further, the correlation between gene expression levels and training variables (external load) was conducted. RESULTS: In T1 vs T2, 3717 of the 14632 genes detected were differentially expressed (adjusted p-value < 0.05), and enrichment of terms related to the immune system, mitochondria, and metabolic processes was found. Further, significant linear correlations were obtained between High-Speed running (HSR) and high-intensity variables such as acceleration ACC and deceleration DEC values with amino acids, and inflammatory and oxidative environment-related pathways, both in chronic and acute response. CONCLUSIONS: This research highlights the effects of external workload on elite athletes during a handball match and throughout the season. The study identifies deregulation in the immune system, mitochondrial functions, and various metabolic pathways during the match. Additionally, it establishes correlations between the external load and pathways associated with amino acids, inflammation, oxidative environment, and regulation. These findings offer insights into the immediate and chronic responses of athletes to physical effort.

Does External Load Reflect Acute Neuromuscular Fatigue and Rating of Perceived Exertion in Elite Young Soccer Players?

ABSTRACT: Martínez-Serrano, A, Freitas, TT, Franquesa, X, Enrich, E, Mallol, M, and Alcaraz, PE. Does external load reflect acute neuromuscular fatigue and rating of perceived exertion in elite young soccer players? J Strength Cond Res 37(3): e1-e7, 2023-This study aimed to analyze the acute and residual effects of increased high-speed running (HSR) demands during an in-season training microcycle in young elite soccer players on localized neuromuscular fatigue (NMF) of the knee extensors (KE), posterior chain muscles, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Thirty-four elite young soccer players (age = 17.1 ± 0.8 years) were assessed in 2 consecutive days at different time points (baseline, POST-activation gym-based session, POST-small-sided game [SSG], POST-training 1 [TR1], POST-6H, POST-24H, POST-preventive gym-based session, and POST-training 2 [TR2]). Neuromuscular fatigue of the KE and posterior chain muscles was measured with a maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). External (total distance, number of accelerations or decelerations, and HSR distance) and internal (RPE) load was assessed during the SSG, TR1, and TR2 sessions. Players were divided through a median split, into "HIGH" or "LOW" group according to the training demands. The alpha level was set at p ≤ 0.05. A 2-way mixed effects model ANOVA showed a significant decreased in 90:20 MVIC after TR1 in the "HIGH" HSR group ( p = 0.037; effect size [ES] = 0.45). No significant differences in RPE were found after TR1 ( p = 0.637; ES = 0.58) and TR2 ( p = 0.109; ES = 0.62) when comparing the "HIGH" HSR group with the "LOW" HSR group. Assessing player's force production capabilities can be an effective strategy to detect NMF when HSR demands are acutely increased. Special caution should be taken when prescribing the training load of the training session based solely on RPE, as NMF might be present.

Physiological Response Differences between Run and Cycle High Intensity Interval Training Program in Recreational Middle Age Female Runners.

The aim of this investigation was to compare the changes in endurance running performance and physiological variables after a four-week period of high intensity interval training (HIIT) in either running or cycling in female athletes. Fourteen recreational female runners (age = 42 10 yr, height = 1.67 0.06 m, body mass = 61.6 10.4 kg, body mass index (BMI) = 22.2 3.4 kg.m-2) were randomly allocated to one of two HIIT training groups: running (HIITrun) or cycling (HIITbike). Each group performed two HIIT sessions per week for 4 weeks, which consisted of 6 x 2 min at 95% of maximal heart rate (HRmax) and 4 x 1 min all out efforts. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) in treadmill running increased significantly after the HIITrun (p < 0.01, ES = 0.6) but remained unchanged in HIITbike. However, HIITbike improved average velocity in a 10 km running time trial (TTrun) (p < 0.05, ES = -0.4), whereas, no changes were found for the HIITrun group. Analysing the first and last HIIT sessions, for HIITrun only the average rate of perceived exertion (RPEav) increased significantly, whereas, performance variables such as average heart rate (HRav) and average pace (paceav) remained unchanged. HIITbike enhanced significantly the average speed of HIIT sets (speedav) and the peak power output (PPO) of the session, as well as, the RPEav and delayed onset muscle soreness immediately after HIIT session (DOMSpost) were increased significantly. A regime of HIIT in cycling may evoke increases in female recreational runners' power, which may be related with improvements in a 10 km TTrun independent of changes in aerobic capacity. This may be advantageous in order to avoid overuse running related injuries.

Comparison of Reduced-Volume High-Intensity Interval Training and High-Volume Training on Endurance Performance in Triathletes.

PURPOSE: To investigate changes in physiological and performance variables in triathletes following a 4-wk period of reduced training volume and increased training intensity. METHODS: Sixteen moderately trained triathletes were randomly allocated to 2 groups: a control (CON) group, which followed their usual training, or a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) group, which completed 2 HIIT sessions per week during 4 wk of reduced training volume Results: Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) increased significantly in the HIIT group (P = .03, d = 0.5) but remained unchanged in the CON group. Cycling power at first and second ventilatory thresholds increased significantly in the HIIT subjects (P = .03, d = 1.0) and was unchanged in the CON participants (P = .57). During the simulated triathlon test, pretest-posttest cycling times and average power were unchanged in both groups (P > .05). No significant interactive effects between groups were observed for running time (P = .50). CONCLUSION: After a 4-wk HIIT program, VO2max and power at first and second ventilatory thresholds were found to have increased significantly while cycling and running performance were unchanged, despite an overall reduction in training time. In the present study, performance was only shown to improve with usual (high-volume) training. Summarizing, in order to improve running or cycling performances, high-volume training programs are highly recommended.

El Triatlón y el control de la carga mediante la percepción del esfuerzo / Triathlon and control the load by perceived exertion

El triatlón moderno se ha convertido en uno de los deportes de resistencia más practicado en los últimos años en el mundo entero. Además, por un lado, presenta unas características históricas aparte de unas demandas biológicas específicas que lo hacen distinto de otros deportes. Así mismo, el hecho de haberse popularizado tanto en las últimas décadas ha generado una constante en los procesos de investigación sobre diferentes áreas: los mejores materiales para su práctica, el mantenimiento de la forma durante un período prolongado en el tiempo, las transiciones entre modalidades durante la pruebas, el aumento de competiciones y la búsqueda de los mejores métodos de entrenamiento. Sin embargo, no todos los practicantes pueden permitirse tener a su disposición los mismos medios de control del entrenamiento que los triatletas de élite. Por lo tanto, es de gran interés, para triatletas y entrenadores, determinar un método válido, fiable y de fácil utilización que se pudiera aplicar en distintos grupos de personas. Por ello, es de especial interés conocer los principales métodos de control de la carga de entrenamiento y competición en deportes de resistencia, especialmente los aplicados al triatlón. Por tanto, nuestro trabajo tuvo por objeto analizar la percepción del esfuerzo (RPE), metodología basada en las propias percepciones de cada deportista. Previamente a ello, realizamos un análisis exhaustivo de la literatura científica publicada hasta el momento para nuestro conocimiento, con relación a los diferentes métodos de control de la carga de entrenamiento y competición, así como la evaluación de su fiabilidad en triatlón (AU)

The modern triathlon has become one of the most popular endurance sports Worldwide. Anyway shows specific historical characteristics and on the other hand, biological demands that make it a different sport. Due to its popularity during the last decades, new research methods have been applied to its different modalities and in different aspects. In order to maximize the performance and get the peak performance as prolonged as possible, these investigations have developed new materials for practitioners and improve new training methods, the transitions among modalities during competitions, the training and competitions load control, the big amount of competitions and the best training’s techniques among others. However, not all triathletes have the access to the same training monitoring control as elite triathletes do. Therefore, it could be of great interest for athletes and coaches to develop a valid, reliable and easy managing tool in order to control the training load in as many individuals as possible with reliable accuracy, validity. Thus, it would be relevant to know the main methods of training load and competition load in endurance disciplines sports especially focus on triathlon. Therefore, in the present research work, we will analyze the current concept of triathlon sport and its main methods to set the training work load, internal and external. Thus, we will focus on those methods based on athlete’s own perceived exertion effort (RPE), but previously we will analyze whether current scientific literature (for author’s knowledge) describes those training and competition load methods and their reliability in triathlon (AU)