Skalenius M, Mattsson CM, Dahlberg P, Bergfeldt L, Ravn-Fischer A. Performance and cardiac evaluation before and after a 3-week training camp for 400-meter sprinters - An observational, non-randomized study.
PLoS One 2019;
14:e0217856. [PMID:
31150507 PMCID:
PMC6544373 DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0217856]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective
To study the performance and cardiovascular function after a 3-week training camp in athletes competing in an anaerobically dominant sport.
Methods
Twenty-three competitive 400-m athletes were enrolled in this non-randomized study, 17 took part in a 3-week training camp in South-Africa (intervention), but one declined follow-up assessment, while 6 pursued in-door winter training in Sweden and served as controls. Electrocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography, blood test analyses, maximal exercise tolerance test, and a 300-m sprint test with lactate measurements ([La]peak) were performed before and after the training camp period.
Results
At baseline, there were no clinically significant pathological findings in any measurements. The training period resulted in improved 300m-sprint performance [n = 16; running time 36.71 (1.39) vs. 35.98 (1.13) s; p<0.01] and higher peak lactate values. Despite 48% more training sessions than performed on home ground (n = 6), myocardial biomarkers decreased significantly (NT-pro BNP -38%; p<0.05, troponin T -16%; p<0.05). Furthermore, resting heart rate (-7%; p<0.01) and left ventricular systolic and diastolic volumes decreased -6% (p<0.01) and -10% (p<0.05), respectively.
Conclusions
Intense physical activity at training camp improved the performance level, likely due to improved anaerobic capacity indicated by higher [La]peak. There were no clinically significant adverse cardiac changes after this period of predominantly anaerobic training.
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