MedPath

The Impact of Re-training Following Detraining on Greco-Roman Wrestlers

Completed
Conditions
Heart Rate Variability
Body Fat
Wrestling
Fitness Testing
Interventions
Other: Training
Registration Number
NCT06606977
Lead Sponsor
Tuba Melekoğlu
Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to analyse the alterations in the physical, physiological, and performance characteristics of the elite Greco-Roman wrestlers who experienced a prolonged period of detraining (14 weeks) as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Elite Greco-Roman wrestlers volunteered for the research. Heart rate variability values were measured during the detraining period and for 8 weeks of subsequent training, and then interpreted for training periods with different workloads. Body fat percentage measured during detraining and every 2-week interval during the training period. To determine the fitness status of wrestlers, the Specific Wrestling Fitness test was used before and following the 8-week training period.

Detailed Description

Elite athletes train continuously and at high intensity in a planned and regular basis in order to achieve success in the international competitions in line with the necessity of the competitive conditions, to maintain the success achieved and to preserve it for a long time. As a result of these high-intensity training, the physiological adaptations of elite athletes are different when compared to sedentary individuals and other athletes. For this reason, athletes who want to show high performance take care to maintain these adaptations as well as develop them. In addition, it is necessary to provide training stimuli at a regular and sufficient level in order to maintain or develop these adaptations Excessive training stimulus can lead to overtraining, while inadequate or complete cessation of training can result in a loss of performance known as detraining.

High-level competitive athletes who do not want to experience this loss of performance avoid taking a long break from training by limiting the detraining period. However, in some cases (injury, chronic injury, pregnancy in female athletes, etc.) athletes are forced to enter a detraining period. In these cases of partial or complete cessation of training, it is predicted that the organism\'s response time to exercise is prolonged. In case of interruption of training for up to 4 weeks, decreases can be seen in general endurance and muscular endurance performance without significant changes in muscle strength, while losses in muscle strength are seen in addition to muscle endurance in periods exceeding four weeks 3. Research indicates that after a detraining period, there is a tendency for skinfold thickness, body fat mass, and percentage to increase, and for fat-free mass and athletic performance to decrease. On the other hand, literature says that athletes can regain their muscle strength in a short time after short-term (3 weeks) detraining. Yasuda et al. reported that as a result of the strength training practices applied with the blow flow restriction method after 3 weeks of detraining to individuals who had previously done strength training, muscle strength gains were rapidly achieved.

In addition to physical losses such as strength and endurance in the organism, the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which is an indicator of general health and an important reflector of optimal sportive performance in athletes, and heart rate variability scores, which are frequently used to determine ANS, may also show negative deterioration in the event of cessation of exercise. A prolonged period of detraining can cause significant deterioration in heart rate variability values and is often associated with a decreased athletic performance.

In early 2020, a worldwide outbreak of coronavirus disease has occurred, which is considered a global emergency. Preventive strategies aimed at minimizing the risk of infection include the utilization of social gatherings. The impact on elite sport has been significant, with ongoing championships halted and major international events postponed. Moreover, the majority of elite athletes are forced to participate in isolated and usually unsupervised training sessions within the boundaries of their own homes. Following the lockdown, it was recommended that trainings be carefully planned and that performance and health parameters be closely watched to ensure a safe return to the competitions. This approach helped prevent injuries and allowed athletes to gradually regain their physical condition.

Although there are some studies on the effects of long-term inactivity on physical and physiological adaptations and sports performance parameters in elite athletes, there are not enough studies on elite wrestlers that examine the effects of such prolonged inactivity (14 weeks) on their physical and physiological recovery levels recovery and the present knowledge of the period required for elite-level wrestlers to attain optimal performance levels in getting ready for potential competitions remains inadequate.

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in the physical and physiological conditions of elite wrestlers on the Turkish National Wrestling Team who were exposed to physical inactivity for 14 weeks after the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, followed by an 8-week training and competition period.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
20
Inclusion Criteria
  • Being 19 years or older
  • An elite athlete who had international competition experience
  • Not taking any medication that may affect cardiac capacity
  • Absence of a disease that may affect the cardiac or autonomic nervous system.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Desire to leave the study
  • Failure to participate measurements for concurrent 5 days
  • Injury or long-term illness during training period.

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Elite Greco-Roman WrestlersTrainingElite senior wrestlers in the Greco-Roman style participated in the study. These wrestlers had not participated in field training for a minimum of 14 weeks due to the Covid-19 epidemic, and this study focuses on their performance and autonomous system response after resuming field training.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Heart Rate VariablityFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 16 weeks

The measurements included evaluating the intervals between the QRS complexes, executing statistical analyses such as SDNN and RMSSD, and performing frequency-domain analyses including LF, HF, and LF/HF

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Body Fat PercentageFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks

Body fat percentage was measured with bioelectrical impedance and skinfold caliper

Specific Wrestling Fitness Test PerformanceFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks

The SWFT includes throwing maximum wrestling dummy against time. Since wrestling is a sport based on weight categories, participants should use a wrestling dummy suitable for their own weight (wrestlers up to 74.9 kg body weight a 22 kg dummy, wrestlers from 75.0 to 89.9 kg a 27 kg dummy and for wrestlers over 90 kg a 32 kg dummy). The participant was performed three sets of dummy throws lasting 30 seconds each, with a 20-second interval of rest between each set. Following the start signal, the participants were attempted to throw the wrestling dummy repeatedly within the given 30-second timeframe, using maximum effort. The primary objective of the participant was to execute as many throws possible in all three phases of the tests, with the cumulative number of throws executed providing as the final test outcome.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Akdeniz University Faculty of Sport Sciences

🇹🇷

Antalya, Turkey

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath