Intensified Training Supersedes the Impact of Heat and/or Altitude for Increasing Performance in Elite Rugby Union Players

• Published in: International journal of sports physiology and performance Vol. 16; no. 10; p. 1416
• Main Authors: Racinais, Sebastien, Périard, Julien D, Piscione, Julien, Bourdon, Pitre C, Cocking, Scott, Ihsan, Mohammed, Lacome, Mathieu, Nichols, David, Townsend, Nathan, Travers, Gavin, Wilson, Mathew G, Girard, Olivier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-10-2021
• Subjects: Altitude; Athletic Performance - physiology; Hot Temperature; Humans; Hypoxia; Male; Rugby; team sports; elite athlete; repeated-sprint ability; heat acclimation; altitude training
• ISSN: 1555-0273
• DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2020-0630

To investigate whether including heat and altitude exposures during an elite team-sport training camp induces similar or greater performance benefits.
The study assessed 56 elite male rugby players for maximal oxygen uptake, repeated-sprint cycling, and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 2 (Yo-Yo) before and after a 2-week training camp, which included 5 endurance and 5 repeated-sprint cycling sessions in addition to daily rugby training. Players were separated into 4 groups: (1) control (all sessions in temperate conditions at sea level), (2) heat training (endurance sessions in the heat), (3) altitude (repeated-sprint sessions and sleeping in hypoxia), and (4) combined heat and altitude (endurance in the heat, repeated sprints, and sleeping in hypoxia).
Training increased maximal oxygen uptake (4% [10%], P = .017), maximal aerobic power (9% [8%], P < .001), and repeated-sprint peak (5% [10%], P = .004) and average power (12% [14%], P < .001) independent of training conditions. Yo-Yo distance increased (16% [17%], P < .001) but not in the altitude group (P = .562). Training in heat lowered core temperature and increased sweat rate during a heat-response test (P < .05).
A 2-week intensified training camp improved maximal oxygen uptake, repeated-sprint ability, and aerobic performance in elite rugby players. Adding heat and/or altitude did not further enhance physical performance, and altitude appears to have been detrimental to improving Yo-Yo.