Fatigue and stress responses in athletes performing functional-fitness workout and its association with well-being

Abstract

We monitored fatigue and stress using heart rate variability and session rating perceived exertion in trained athletes performing a single bout of functional-fitness training workout. Also, we verified the association between heart rate variability and session rating perceived exertion with well-being. In the first week of tapering, eleven national athletes (age: 25.7 ± 3.3y; body mass index: 27.7 ± 2.8 kg·m-2; training history: > 4y) participated in this study. Heart rate variability was analyzed basal, before and after the experimental protocol. Session rating perceived exertion was analyzed after the experimental protocol, and after the assessments, the association between them and well-being was performed. Repeated measures of ANOVA were performed to compare condition x time, and Pearson correlation was used to analyze the associations. Heart rate variability decreased its values after the training workout (ηp2=11.5, p<0.001), and session rating perceived exertion was high (25.8 ± 6.9 a.u.). We did not find associations between heart rate variability or session rating perceived exertion and well-being (r between -0.34 and 0.35, p>0.05). This study did not support the idea of a significant relationship between objective/subjective, physiological assessments and well-being in one bout of training workout. Functional-fitness coaches and athletes should know the limited evidence about objective/subjective assessments and well-being.