The Type of Per-Cooling Strategies Currently Employed by Competitive and Professional Cyclists-Triathletes During Training and Competition Are Condition (Dry vs. Humid) Dependant
Journal article
Bayne, F., Racinais, S., Mileva, K.N., Hunter, S. and Gaoua, N. (2022). The Type of Per-Cooling Strategies Currently Employed by Competitive and Professional Cyclists-Triathletes During Training and Competition Are Condition (Dry vs. Humid) Dependant. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 4, p. 845427. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.845427
Authors | Bayne, F., Racinais, S., Mileva, K.N., Hunter, S. and Gaoua, N. |
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Abstract | Purpose: To investigate cooling strategies employed by athletes (cyclists-triathletes) during training and competition in hot and dry (HD) and hot and humid (HH) conditions. Methods: Thirty-five athletes completed an online questionnaire on the type, timing, and justification of cooling strategies employed during past training and/or competitions in HD and HH conditions. In addition, 3 athletes also completed a one-to-one follow-up interview. Results: Comparisons between strategies employed in all conditions were based on N = 14 (40%). Cold-water pouring was the most employed (N = 4; 21%) strategy during training and/or competing in hot conditions. The timing of the strategies employed was based on pitstops only (N = 7; 50%). The justification for strategies employed was based on trial and error (N = 9, 42.85%: N = 10, 47.61%). All athletes rated strategies employed as 1 (“not effective for minimising performance impairments and heat-related illnesses”). Comparisons between HD and HH were based on N = 21 (60%), who employed different strategies based on condition. Cold-water ingestion was the most employed (N = 9, 43%) strategy in HD, whereas a combination of cold-water ingestion and pouring was the most employed (N = 9, 43%) strategy in HH. The timing of strategies employed in the HD split was pre-planned by distance but was modified based on how athletes felt during (N = 8, 38%), and pre-planned by distance and pit stops (N = 8, 38%). The timing of strategies employed in HH was pre-planned based on distance and how athletes felt during (N = 9, 42%). About 57% (N = 12) of the 60% (N = 21) perceived effectiveness in HD and HH as 3 (“Sometimes effective and sometimes not effective”), whereas 43% (N = 9) of the 60% (N = 21) perceived effectiveness in HD and HH as 4 (“Effective for minimising performance impairments”). Conclusion: Cold-water ingestion is the preferred strategy by athletes in HD compared to a combination of cold-water ingestion and pouring in HH conditions. All strategies were pre-planned and trialled based on distance and how athletes felt during training and/or competition. These strategies were perceived as effective for minimising performance impairments, but not heat-related illnesses. Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of these cooling strategies on performance and thermoregulatory responses in HD and HH conditions. |
Keywords | Sports and Active Living; environmental; temperature; humidity; cooling strategies; cycling performance |
Year | 2022 |
Journal | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
Journal citation | 4, p. 845427 |
Publisher | Frontiers Media |
ISSN | 2624-9367 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.845427 |
Publication dates | |
Online | 25 May 2022 |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 21 Mar 2022 |
Deposited | 14 Jun 2022 |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
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https://openresearch.lsbu.ac.uk/item/910q2
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