Open AccessChanges in Performance and Morning‐Measured Responses in Sport Rock Climbers
Author(s) -
Artur Magiera,
Robert Roczniok,
Ewa SadowskaKrępa,
Katarzyna Kempa
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of human kinetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.735
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1899-7562
pISSN - 1640-5544
DOI - 10.2478/hukin-2019-0050
Subject(s) - morning , testosterone (patch) , heart rate , climbing , supine position , medicine , endocrinology , hormone , athletes , sleep (system call) , sleep deprivation , physical therapy , circadian rhythm , biology , blood pressure , ecology , computer science , operating system
The aim of this study was to determine changes in climbers’ hormonal, cardiovascular, neuromuscular, sleep and fatigue status, and their relationship with performance and workloads during a sport rock climbing camp. Mean difficulty of individual leading climbing routes (mean Difficulty) was calculated for six male, intermediate level sport rock climbers participating in a 2-week camp in Orpierre. Additionally, each morning climbers were tested for: cortisol (d-Cortisol) and testosterone (d-Testosterone) concentrations, testosterone/cortisol ratio (T/C), heart rate and heart rate variability in supine (d-L-HR, d-L-SD1, d-L-SD2) and standing positions (d-S-HR, d-S-SD1, d-S-SD2), difference in S-HR and L-HR (HR-S-L), maximal voluntary hand grip strength (MVC), sleep duration (Sleep) and the self-perception of fatigue (M-Fatigue). Only M-Fatigue and d-Testosterone did not change significantly during the camp. Changes in other variables were large and significant, especially in the second week of the camp when the mean Difficulty was > 70%. The greatest changes were noted on the last day, when T/C, HR-S-L, and Sleep decreased and d-Cortisol, d-L-HR, and d-SD1 increased. The monitoring of the uncoupling of neuromuscular, hormonal, and cardiovascular markers can be instrumental in determining the level of athletes’ morning fatigue and readiness during a climbing camp. An increase in d-Cortisol and a decrease in T/C and HR-S-L are relevant indicators of overreaching in sport climbers.