Influence Of Environmental Conditions On Performance And Heart Rate Responses To The 30-15 Incremental Fitness Test In Rugby Union Athletes

Jones, Thomas, Natera, Alex O. W., Jennings, Jacob and Oakley, Aiden J. (2019) Influence Of Environmental Conditions On Performance And Heart Rate Responses To The 30-15 Incremental Fitness Test In Rugby Union Athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33 (2). pp. 486-491. ISSN 1064-8011

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in performance and heart rate responses between a high heat outdoor condition (34.0°C, 64.1% humidity) and a temperate indoor condition (22.0°C, 50.0% humidity) during the 30-15 intermittent fitness test (30-15IFT). Eight highly trained Rugby Union players (28.1 +/- 1.5 years, 181.4 +/- 8.8 cm, 88.4 +/- 13.3kg) completed the 30-15IFT in two different temperature conditions. Dependant variables recorded and analysed included; final running speed of the 30-15IFT, heart rate (HR) at rest (HR rest), maximum HR (Max HR), HR recovery (HRR), average HR (HR ave) and sub-maximal HR corresponding to 25%, 50% and 75% of final test speed (HR 25%, HR 50% and HR 75%) and HR at 13 km[middle dot]h-1 (HR 13 km[middle dot]h-1). Greater running speeds were achieved when the test was conducted indoors (19.4 +/- 0.7 km[middle dot]h-1 vs. 18.6 +/- 0.6 km·h-1, p = 0.002, d = 1.67). HR ave and HR 13 km·h-1 were greater when the test was conducted outdoors (p < 0.05, d > 0.85). Large effect sizes were observed for the greater HR at submaximal intensities (d > 0.90). The results of this study highlight the influence of temperature on 30-15IFT performance and cardiac responses. It is recommended that prescription of training based on 30-15IFT results reflects the temperature that the training will be performed in and that practitioners acknowledge that a meaningful change in assessment results can be the result of seasonal temperature change rather than training induced change.

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