Heart rate variability-guided aerobic training without moderate-intensity enhances submaximal and maximal aerobic power with less training load

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This study aims to clarify the effects of heart rate variability (HRV)-guided aerobic training on submaximal and maximal aerobic power. Twelve active men participated in a 5-week intervention and were divided into two groups: a block periodization training group (BP, n = 6) and a HRV-guided training group (HRV-G, n = 6). All participants underwent the same aerobic training during week one. In weeks 2–5, the training load for the HRV-G was adjusted based on the HRV of an individual on waking. The BP underwent 2 weeks of overload training followed by 2 weeks of taper training. To determine the submaximal and maximal aerobic powers, an incremental load test was performed at baseline and once a week. The internal load during the training sessions was derived from the heart rate. The monotony and strain were calculated from the internal load. TRIMP and the strain were lower in the HRV-G than BP. The HRV-G had a greater relative distribution of time spent at low-intensity and a lower relative distribution of time spent at high-intensity than BP. The change in the maximal and submaximal aerobic power was greater in the HRV than in BP. The current findings indicate that combined low- and high-intensity HRV-guided training enhance increases the submaximal and maximal aerobic power, regardless lower training load than BP.