Exploring the effect of the menstrual cycle or oral contraception on elite athletes' training responses when workload is not objectively quantifiable: the MILS approach and findings from female Olympians.

Objectives: Develop the Markov Index Load State (MILS) model, based on hidden Markov chains, to assess athletes' workload responses and investigate the effects of menstrual cycle (MC)/oral contraception (OC), sex steroids hormones and wellness on elite athletes' training.

Methods: On a 7-month longitudinal follow-up, daily training (volume and perceived effort, n=2200) and wellness (reported sleep quality and quantity, fitness, mood, menstrual symptoms, n=2509) data were collected from 24 female rowers and skiers preparing for the Olympics. 51 MC and 54 OC full cycles relying on 214 salivary hormone samples were analysed.

Sex- and age-related differences in the rating of perceived exertion after high-intensity rowing exercise during childhood and adolescence.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of age and sex on the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during high-intensity exercise and determine whether mechanical and physiological parameters could be predictors of RPE during childhood and adolescence. Forty-three boys and 36 girls performed a 60-s all-out test on a rowing ergometer and were categorized by age group (10.0-11.

Menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptive phases' effect on elite rowers' training, performance and wellness.

To investigate the effect of menstrual cycle (MC) and hormonal contraception (HC) phases in elite rowers training, performance and wellness monitoring. Twelve French elite rowers were follow-up for 4,2 cycles on average in their final preparation for the Olympics and Paralympics Games in Tokyo 2021 through an on-site longitudinal study based on repeated measures. Daily self-reported evaluation using Likert rating scales of wellness (sleep quality, fitness, mood, injuries' pain), menstrual symptoms and training parameters (perceived exertion and self-assessment of performance) were collected (n = 1,281) in parallel to a coach evaluation of rowers' performance (n = 136), blinded to theirs MC and HC phases.

What is the physiological impact of reducing the 2,000 m Olympic distance in rowing to 1,500 m and 1,000 m for French young competitive rowers? Insights from the energy system contribution.

French rowing federation reduced the competition distance to 1,500 and 1,000 m in rowers under 16- (U16) and 14-year-old (U14) respectively, to prepare them progressively to the Olympic 2,000 m distance in under 18-year-old (U18). This study aimed to check the hypothesis that relative aerobic (%E) and anaerobic (%E) energy contributions would be comparable between the competition distances since the more oxidative profile of younger age categories could offset the greater anaerobic contribution induced by shorter rowing races. Thirty-one 12- to 17-year-old competitive rowers performed a race of 2,000, 1,500, or 1,000 m on a rowing ergometer according to their age category.

Repeated Simulated Match-Induced Changes in Finger Flexor Force and Blood Acid-Base Balance in World-Class Female Judokas.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the time course of maximal isometric finger flexor force and blood acid-base balance during repeated simulated matches in world-class judokas.

Methods: Seven 21- to 28-year-old world-class female judokas (including Olympic and World Championship medalists) repeated four 4-minute judo combats interspersed by 15 minutes of passive recovery. Maximal voluntary isometric finger flexor contraction (MVIC) force was measured in both hands after warm-up and immediately after each combat using a handgrip dynamometer.

Sex-Related Differences in Oxygen Consumption Recovery After High-Intensity Rowing Exercise During Childhood and Adolescence.

Purpose: To determine sex-related differences in oxygen consumption (V˙O2) recovery after high-intensity exercise during childhood and adolescence.

Methods: Forty-two boys and 35 girls (10-17 y) performed a 60-second all-out test on a rowing ergometer. Postexercise V˙O2 recovery was analyzed from (1) the V˙O2 recovery time constant obtained from a biexponential model (τ1V˙O2) and (2) excess postexercise oxygen consumption calculated over a period of 8 minutes (EPOC8) and until τ1V˙O2 was reached (EPOCτ1).

Sex-related differences in accumulated O deficit incurred by high-intensity rowing exercise during childhood and adolescence.

Purpose: The aims of the present study were to determine during childhood and adolescence (i) the effect of sex on non-oxidative energy production, quantified by the accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD), and (ii) the influence of AOD on high-intensity performance.

Methods: Thirty-nine boys and 35 girls aged 10-17 years performed a 60 s all-out test on a rowing ergometer to determine AOD and mean power output (MPO). Multiplicative allometric modelling was used to assess the concurrent effects of lean body mass (LBM) and age on AOD.

Importance of dimensional changes on glycolytic metabolism during growth.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate (i) how glycolytic metabolism assessed by accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD) and blood metabolic responses (lactate and pH) resulting from high-intensity exercise change during growth, and (ii) how lean body mass (LBM) influences AOD and its relationship with blood markers.

Methods: Thirty-six 11- to 17-year olds performed a 60-s all-out test on a rowing ergometer. Allometric modelling was used to investigate the influence of LBM and LBM + maturity offset (MO) on AOD and its relationship with the extreme post-exercise blood values of lactate ([La]) and pH (pH) obtained during the recovery period.