A thermophysiological rationale for endurance training for racquet activities.

Abstract

Three male athletes performed incremental work: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), 100 W and 150 W in two levels of controlled environmental heat. Conditions inside an environmental chamber were preset at 25°C 40% RH and 30°C 50% RH being 22°C and 29°C on the Effective Temperature Scale. Expired air and six body temperatures—two invasive and four skin sites—were monitored. Core and mean body temperatures, calculated from these figures, correlated highly with expired air values for all the anthropometrically homogeneous group. Results were in agreement with unpublished data of Bundgaard, i.e. the higher the V̇O2max of the subject the smaller the range of expired air values and the smaller the increase in both mean and core body temperature during heat stress. Such thermophysiological reaction helps the athlete to prevent the onset of mild hyperthermia and the accompanying fatigue, independent of mitigating behavioural support.The intermittent bursts of heavy physical activity required of the racquet athlete argue for a similar cardio-vascular training regimen. Data from this study suggest that such athletes would be wise to augment training schedules with prolonged cardio-vascular endurance work especially when the possibility of competing in high ambient temperature is foreseen.