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Heart rate variability during high-intensity exercise

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse the behaviour of heart rate variability (HRV) during constant-load, high-intensity exercise using a time frequency analysis (Wavelet Transform). Eleven elite cyclists took part in the study (age: 18.6±3.0 years; VO2max: 4.88±0.61 litres·min−1). Initially, all subjects performed an incremental cycloergometer test to determine load power in a constant load-test (379.55±36.02 W; 89.0%). HRV declined dramatically from the start of testing (p <0.05). The behaviour of power spectral density within the LF band mirrored that of total energy, recording a significant decrease from the outset LF peaks fell rapidly thereafter, remaining stable until the end of the test. HF-VHF fell sharply in the first 20 to 30 seconds. The relative weighting (%) of HF-VHF was inverted with the onset of fatigue, [1.6% at the start, 7.1 (p <0.05) at the end of the first phase, and 43.1% (p <0.05) at the end of the test]. HF-VHFpeak displayed three phases: a moderate initial increase, followed by a slight fall, thereafter increasing to the end of the test. The LF/HF-VHF ratio increased at the start, later falling progressively until the end of the first phase and remaining around minimal values until the end of the test.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Education, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain

    Samuel Sarmiento & Juan Manuel García-Manso

  2. Physics Department, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain

    Juan Manuel Martín-González

  3. Department of Morphological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain

    Diana Vaamonde

  4. Physical Activity Sciences Faculty, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Javier Calderón

  5. Andalusian Centre of Sports Medicine, Córdoba, Spain

    Marzo Edir Da Silva-Grigoletto

Authors
  1. Samuel Sarmiento
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  2. Juan Manuel García-Manso
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  3. Juan Manuel Martín-González
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  4. Diana Vaamonde
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  5. Javier Calderón
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  6. Marzo Edir Da Silva-Grigoletto
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Correspondence to Marzo Edir Da Silva-Grigoletto.

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This paper was recommended for publication by Editors FENG Dexing and HAN Jing.

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Sarmiento, S., García-Manso, J.M., Martín-González, J.M. et al. Heart rate variability during high-intensity exercise. J Syst Sci Complex 26, 104–116 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11424-013-2287-y

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