AUTHOR=Jin Naijing , Tian Jie , Li Yue , Mi Jing 

TITLE=A Validation Study of Heart Rate Variability Index in Monitoring Basketball Training Load

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.881927

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2022.881927

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>This study aimed to investigate whether the heart rate variability index (TL<sub>HRV</sub>) during five ball-drills could be used to quantify training load (TL) in collegiate basketball players. Ten elite male college basketball athletes (18.2 ± 0.4 years) were recruited to perform five ball-drills (1V1, 2V2, 3V3, 4V4, and 5V5) which lasted 10 min and varied in intensity. During each drill, TL<sub>HRV</sub>, training impulse (TRIMP), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), speed, and distance were recorded by Firstbeat, Foster’s RPE scale, and SiMi Scout. The correlation (Spearman’s and Pearson’s correlation coefficient), reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient, ICC), and agreement (Bland-Altman plots) among TL<sub>HRV</sub>, TRIMP, RPE, speed, and distance were examined. TL<sub>HRV</sub> was significantly correlated with TRIMP (r = 0.34, <italic>p</italic> = 0.015) and RPE (r = 0.42, <italic>p</italic> = 0.002). TL<sub>HRV</sub> was significantly correlated with training intensity (r = 0.477, <italic>p</italic> = 0.006) but not with volume (r = 0.272, <italic>p</italic> = 0.056). TL<sub>HRV</sub> and TRIMP, RPE showed significant intraclass relationships (ICC = 0.592, <italic>p</italic> = 0.0003). Moreover, TL<sub>HRV</sub> differentiated basketball drills of equal volume and varying intensity. We concluded that TL<sub>HRV</sub>may serve as an objective and rational measure to monitor TL in basketball players.</p>