Recovery Slope of Heart Rate Variability as an Indicator of Internal Training Load

Abstract

The way in which the Root Mean Square of the Successive Differences between adjacent RR intervals (RMSSD) recovers immediately after exercise could be a good indicator of internal training load (ITL). The aim of this study is to design a recovery index based on RMSSD. Forteen healthy men took part in this study. The experiment lasted 2 weeks, with 4 separate (48 - 72 h) sessions. First session was an incremental treadmill test to determine ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2) and maximal aerobic speed (MAS). Each subject ran at VT1 speed (second day), VT2 speed (third day) and a time-to-exhaustion test at MAS (fourth day). The duration of VT1 and VT2 loads was selected in such a way that the product intensity-duration (training load) was the same. HRV was measured from 10’ prior to test (Rest) to 30’ after completed (Recovery). Recovery slopes were calculated from RMSSD values at 10 and 30 minutes. Borg scale was recorded at the end of every test and the Training Impulse (TRIMP) values were calculated using Banister equations. The RMSSD values dropped substantially regardless of the intensity and the duration of exercise (average 4 ms). The RMSSD recovery was linear during the 30 min and different depending on the intensity of exercise. To propose a recovery index, we calculated the slope of RMSDD over the 30 minutes (slope-30) and also the first 10 minutes (slope-10). Given that the slopes presented an exponential behavior in relation with effort intensity, three curves were obtained (average values, plus SD and minus SD) defining a nomogram. For practical application, we propose: 1) to measure RMSSD the last 5 minutes of exercise and any period of 5 minutes during the first 30 minutes recovery; 2) to calculate the slope of RMSSD between exercise and recovery; 3) to compare with the nomogram.