HEART RATE VARIABILITY: RESEARCH AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS TO CONTROL ADAPTIVE PROCESSES IN SPORT

Abstract

Jesús Ortigosa, Rafael E. Reigal, Gabriel Carranque y Antonio Hernández-Mendo

This review examines the main applications and limitations of heart rate monitors in sports. The key issues, that researchers and trainers should consider, have been exposed in order to optimize their use in daily training control through monitoring the heart rate variability. These concern the reliability and validity; and methodological considerations for registration and data statistical interpretation. Given its limitations, this work shows the usefulness of the main indicators of parasympathetic activity (i.e. rMSSD) which monitored at rest for sort periods, 3-4 times week, could improve control processes adaptation to training, both physiological and psychological, in individual and team sports. Overall, the analysis shows that resting heart could be a useful to assess the adaptive response and performance in this context.