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- Title
Intensified Training Supersedes the Impact of Heat and/or Altitude for Increasing Performance in Elite Rugby Union Players.
- Authors
Racinais, Sebastien; Périard, Julien D.; Piscione, Julien; Bourdon, Pitre C.; Cocking, Scott; Ihsan, Mohammed; Lacome, Mathieu; Nichols, David; Townsend, Nathan; Travers, Gavin; Wilson, Mathew G.; Girard, Olivier
- Abstract
Purpose: To investigate whether including heat and altitude exposures during an elite team-sport training camp induces similar or greater performance benefits. Methods: The study assessed 56 elite male rugby players for maximal oxygen uptake, repeated-sprint cycling, and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 2 (Yo-Yo) before and after a 2-week training camp, which included 5 endurance and 5 repeated-sprint cycling sessions in addition to daily rugby training. Players were separated into 4 groups: (1) control (all sessions in temperate conditions at sea level), (2) heat training (endurance sessions in the heat), (3) altitude (repeated-sprint sessions and sleeping in hypoxia), and (4) combined heat and altitude (endurance in the heat, repeated sprints, and sleeping in hypoxia). Results: Training increased maximal oxygen uptake (4% [10%], P =.017), maximal aerobic power (9% [8%], P <.001), and repeated-sprint peak (5% [10%], P =.004) and average power (12% [14%], P <.001) independent of training conditions. Yo-Yo distance increased (16% [17%], P <.001) but not in the altitude group (P =.562). Training in heat lowered core temperature and increased sweat rate during a heat-response test (P <.05). Conclusion: A 2-week intensified training camp improved maximal oxygen uptake, repeated-sprint ability, and aerobic performance in elite rugby players. Adding heat and/or altitude did not further enhance physical performance, and altitude appears to have been detrimental to improving Yo-Yo.
- Subjects
HEAT; HEAT exhaustion; ENDURANCE sports training; ATHLETIC associations; OXYGEN consumption; PHYSICAL training &; conditioning; EXERCISE physiology; PHYSICAL fitness; RUGBY football; CYCLING; COOLDOWN; PRE-tests &; post-tests; EXERCISE intensity; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; BODY movement; ATHLETIC ability; ALTITUDES; SPRINTING; HYPOXEMIA
- Publication
International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance, 2021, Vol 16, Issue 10, p1416
- ISSN
1555-0265
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1123/ijspp.2020-0630