Effects of consecutive domestic and international tournaments on heart rate variability in an elite rugby sevens team.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate heart rate variability and athlete self-report measures of recovery status (ASRM) in response to consecutive domestic and international tournaments among an elite rugby sevens team.

DESIGN

Retrospective.

METHODS

Olympic-level rugby sevens players (n=10) recorded post-waking natural logarithm of the root mean square of successive differences (LnRMSSD) and ASRM (sleep quality, energy, soreness, recovery and mood) throughout a 1-week baseline period and daily thereafter throughout a domestic and subsequent international tournament, separated by five days. Linear mixed models and Hedge's effect sizes ±95% confidence interval (ES±95% CI) were used to evaluate variation in LnRMSSD and ASRM relative to baseline.

RESULTS

Decrements in various ASRM were observed in response to both tournaments (ES=-0.80±0.91 to -1.73±1.03, p<0.05) and international travel (ES=-1.03±0.93 to -1.70±1.02, p<0.05) whereas decrements in LnRMSSD were only observed in response to the international tournament (ES=-0.89±0.92 to -1.21±0.96, p=0.02-0.07). No clear differences in internal or external match-load parameters were observed between tournaments (ES=-0.35±0.88 to 0.13±0.88, p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Greater decrements in cardiac-autonomic activity were observed in response to an international tournament relative to a domestic tournament, despite no difference in match-physical demands. Thus, factors separate from competition alone may impact players' cardiac-autonomic response to an international tournament.