Cyril Brechbuhl1,2, Franck Brocherie3, Sarah J Willis2, Thomas Blokker2, Bernard Montalvan4, Olivier Girard5, Gregoire P Millet2, Laurent Schmitt2,6. 1. French Tennis Federation, Independent Researcher, Paris, France. 2. Institute of Sports Science, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. 3. EA7370 Laboratoire Sport, Expertise et Performance, Institut National du Sport, de l'Expertise et de la Performance, Paris, France. 4. Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT), Paris, France. 5. Faculty of Science, School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. 6. Centre National de Ski Nordique et de Moyenne Montagne (CNSNMM), Prémanon, France.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To examine physiological and technical responses to repeated-sprint training in normobaric hypoxia at ∼3,000 m (RSH, n = 11) or in normoxia (RSN, n = 11) compared to a control group (CON, n = 8) in well-trained tennis players. Participants were 28.8 ± 5.9 years old without any previous experience of training in hypoxia. METHODS: In addition to maintaining their usual training (CON), both RSH and RSN groups completed five tennis specific repeated-shuttle sprint sessions (4 × 5 × ∼8 s maximal sprints with ∼22 s passive recovery and ∼5 min rest between sets) over 12 days. Before (Pre), the week after (Post-1) and 3 weeks after Post-1 (Post-2), physical/technical performance during Test to Exhaustion Specific to Tennis (TEST), repeated-sprint ability (RSA) (8 × ∼20 m shuttle runs-departing every 20 s) and heart rate variability (HRV) were assessed. RESULTS: From Pre to Post-1 and Post-2, RSH improved TEST time to exhaustion (+18.2 and +17.3%; both P < 0.001), while the "onset of blood lactate accumulation" at 4 mmol L-1 occurred at later stages (+24.4 and +19.8%, both P < 0.01). At the same time points, ball accuracy at 100% V̇O2m ax increased in RSH only (+38.2%, P = 0.003 and +40.9%, P = 0.007). Markers of TEST performance did not change for both RSN and CON. Compared to Pre, RSA total time increased significantly at Post-1 and Post-2 (-1.9 and -2.5%, P < 0.05) in RSH only and this was accompanied by larger absolute Δ total hemoglobin (+82.5 and +137%, both P < 0.001). HRV did not change either supine or standing positions. CONCLUSION: Five repeated sprint training sessions in hypoxia using tennis specific shuttle runs improve physiological and technical responses to TEST, RSA, and accompanying muscle perfusion responses in well-trained tennis players.
PURPOSE: To examine physiological and technical responses to repeated-sprint training in normobaric hypoxia at ∼3,000 m (RSH, n = 11) or in normoxia (RSN, n = 11) compared to a control group (CON, n = 8) in well-trained tennis players. Participants were 28.8 ± 5.9 years old without any previous experience of training in hypoxia. METHODS: In addition to maintaining their usual training (CON), both RSH and RSN groups completed five tennis specific repeated-shuttle sprint sessions (4 × 5 × ∼8 s maximal sprints with ∼22 s passive recovery and ∼5 min rest between sets) over 12 days. Before (Pre), the week after (Post-1) and 3 weeks after Post-1 (Post-2), physical/technical performance during Test to Exhaustion Specific to Tennis (TEST), repeated-sprint ability (RSA) (8 × ∼20 m shuttle runs-departing every 20 s) and heart rate variability (HRV) were assessed. RESULTS: From Pre to Post-1 and Post-2, RSH improved TEST time to exhaustion (+18.2 and +17.3%; both P < 0.001), while the "onset of blood lactate accumulation" at 4 mmol L-1 occurred at later stages (+24.4 and +19.8%, both P < 0.01). At the same time points, ball accuracy at 100% V̇O2m ax increased in RSH only (+38.2%, P = 0.003 and +40.9%, P = 0.007). Markers of TEST performance did not change for both RSN and CON. Compared to Pre, RSA total time increased significantly at Post-1 and Post-2 (-1.9 and -2.5%, P < 0.05) in RSH only and this was accompanied by larger absolute Δ total hemoglobin (+82.5 and +137%, both P < 0.001). HRV did not change either supine or standing positions. CONCLUSION: Five repeated sprint training sessions in hypoxia using tennis specific shuttle runs improve physiological and technical responses to TEST, RSA, and accompanying muscle perfusion responses in well-trained tennis players.
Authors: Domingo J Ramos-Campo; Jacobo Á Rubio-Arias; Tomás T Freitas; Arturo Camacho; José F Jiménez-Diaz; Pedro E Alcaraz Journal: J Strength Cond Res Date: 2017-04 Impact factor: 3.775