%A Chtourou,Hamdi %A Engel,Florian Azad %A Fakhfakh,Hassen %A Fakhfakh,Hazem %A Hammouda,Omar %A Ammar,Achraf %A Trabelsi,Khaled %A Souissi,Nizar %A Sperlich,Billy %D 2018 %J Frontiers in Physiology %C %F %G English %K Circadian Rhythm,repeated sprint running,Repeated exercise,mood,Fatigue %Q %R 10.3389/fphys.2018.01499 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2018-October-26 %9 Original Research %# %! Diurnal variation of short-term repetitive performance %* %< %T Diurnal Variation of Short-Term Repetitive Maximal Performance and Psychological Variables in Elite Judo Athletes %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.01499 %V 9 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 1664-042X %X Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of time of day on short-term repetitive maximal performance and psychological variables in elite judo athletes.Methods: Fourteen Tunisian elite male judokas (age: 21 ± 1 years, height:172 ± 7 cm, body-mass: 70.0 ± 8.1 kg) performed a repeated shuttle sprint and jump ability (RSSJA) test (6 m × 2 m × 12.5 m every 25-s incorporating one countermovement jump (CMJ) between sprints) in the morning (7:00 a.m.) and afternoon (5:00 p.m.). Psychological variables (Profile of mood states (POMS-f) and Hooper questionnaires) were assessed before and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) immediately after the RSSJA.Results: Sprint times (p > 0.05) of the six repetition, fatigue index of sprints (p > 0.05) as well as mean (p > 0.05) jump height and fatigue index (p > 0.05) of CMJ did not differ between morning and afternoon. No differences were observed between the two times-of-day for anxiety, anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, interpersonal relationship, sleep, and muscle soreness (p > 0.05). Jump height in CMJ 3 and 4 (p < 0.05) and RPE (p < 0.05) and vigor (p < 0.01) scores were higher in the afternoon compared to the morning. Stress was higher in the morning compared to the afternoon (p < 0.01).Conclusion: In contrast to previous research, repeated sprint running performance and mood states of the tested elite athletes showed no-strong dependency of time-of-day of testing. A possible explanation can be the habituation of the judo athletes to work out early in the morning.