Investigation of heart rate recovery after maximal exercise in elite mountain skiers and canoe athletes

Heart rate recovery index (HRRI) is defined as decrease in the heart rate (HR) from the rate at peak exercise level during the recovery, after cessation of exercise. HRRI is a valuable parameter for determining athletes training capacity. The aim of this study was to determine heart rate recovery among athletes from sport branches requiring different training status and aerobic capacity. For this, aerobic capacity and HRRI of elite mountain skiers and canoe athletes were determined. Volunteered elite male and female athletes (recruited from related sports federations) was enrolled. Athletes demographic data including gender, age and height was recorded and body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method. For achieving maximal heart rate, athletes performed a symptom-limited maximal (incremental ramp test with a workload increment of 30 W/min - 60 revolutions per minute (rpm) cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) using electronically-braked cycle ergometry, until exhaustion (no longer able to maintain pedalling >40 rpm). Following maximal effort, subjects were allowed for active recovery for 5-min of unloaded pedaling. Heart rate was continuously monitored through a 12-lead electrocardiogram. HRRI was calculated by obtaining the difference between the peak exercise HR and HR measured at specific time intervals after cessation of incremental ramp exercise test. HRR was calculated by 30 second intervals during the 5 minute of recovery period, by unloaded pedalling. Data from the athletes were also compared with sedentary individuals. No statistically significant differences were foud between the groups in terms of KHTİ1, KHTİ8 and KHTİ10 values, while in other moments of canoeing athletes were higher than those of elite mountain skiers. As a result, the training status of canoeing athletes were found higher than elite mountain skiers among these two sport disciplines at the elite level. Key Words: Canoe, Heart rate recovery, Mountain skiing