The Nutritional Physiology Research Centre at the University of South Australia (UniSA) has

developed a technology based on mathematical modeling of the heart rate response to a standardized

bout of sub-maximal exercise that can be used to determine whether an athlete is recovered from prior

exercise. Termed the maximal rate of heart rate increase (rHRI), this technology will be useful for

athletes and coaches as it will allow the recovery status of an athlete to be assessed and the

training/competition program adjusted accordingly to assist in achieving optimal performance.

Research to date has shown that the optimal exercise intensity for assessing rHRI remains to be

determined. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine the optimal exercise intensity for assessing

rHRI in order to most sensitively track changes in exercise performance. Additionally, this study will

also investigate the mechanism by which a slowing of rHRI occurs following periods of heavy overload

training.

The project is a collaborative study between UniSA, the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) and

Polar Electro OY for the purposes of PhD research, and will be conducted at SASI on Valetta Road in

Kidman Park, Adelaide. The principal investigator responsible for the study is Clint Bellenger and other

study investigators are Professor Jon Buckley and Dr Rebecca Thomson from UniSA, Dr Eileen

Robertson from SASI and Dr Laura Karavirta from Polar Electro OY.

If you would like to participate in the study, you will be invited to sign a consent form prior to

participation. You will be required to attend the SASI laboratory on five separate occasions. The first

two of these visits will be for the purpose of familiarisation with the laboratory, including the equipment

and protocol you will use, to determine an individual-specific heart rate/power output relationship and

to record your maximal heart rate during a maximal exercise performance test. The following visits will

be for the purpose of data collection. During these visits you will undergo two 5 minute exercise tests

and one 10 minute exercise test on a cycle ergometer. The order in which these tests occur will be

randomised with a recovery break in-between. The two 5 minute tests will be at two different

intensities designed to elicit heart rates of ~75 and 85% of your maximum heart rate. The 10 minute test

involves exercising for 5 minutes at an intensity designed to elicit a heart rate of ~120 beats/minute and

then 5 minutes at an intensity designed to elicit a heart rate of ~150 beats/minute. To conclude, you will

then undergo a maximal cycling performance test. This will be assessed during both a 5 minute

maximal cycling time-trial and a 60 minute time-trial on an electronically braked cycle ergometer. You

will be given 60 minutes of rest between completing these two performance tests. Your heart rate will

be measured continuously during all of these testing sessions. You will be given small standardised

snacks at the cessation of each of the above tests and a high carbohydrate/high protein supplementary

beverage at the completion of all testing.

Along with the testing sessions, you will need to follow a 4-5 week prescribed training program that

will consist of 1 week of ‘light’ training, 2 weeks of ‘heavy’ training and 1-2 weeks of tapering.

Following the 1 week of ‘light’ training, the first testing session will take place. The second testing

session will take place at the completion of 2 weeks of ‘heavy’ training and the final testing session will

occur following 1-2 weeks of tapering. Your heart rate will be recorded continuously during all training

sessions and the training sessions will be based on fixed percentages of your maximum heart rate. All

training will be done on your own bicycle with a wind-trainer attached to the rear wheel to allow

resistances to be altered to achieve the desired heart rate. If you do not have your own wind-trainer one

will be provided for your use during the study. You will be provided with a heart rate monitor to record

your heart rate during the study.

During the 4-5 weeks of training, you will also be required to record your daily mood state using a

Daily Analysis of Life Demands for Athletes questionnaire and to measure your heart rate every

morning immediately after waking. Your heart rate will need to be measured when you move from

lying to standing.

You will be asked to perform no exercise on the day of testing in our laboratory until after the testing is

completed. You should maintain your normal diet leading into the testing sessions and come to the

sessions fasted for at least 1 hour. You should refrain from drinking alcohol, tea, coffee or energy drinks

in the 24 hours prior to testing and you should be well hydrated.

It is estimated that the total time commitment for the study will involve ~18 hours of laboratory testing

and 30 min of training per day during the light training period (total 3.5 hr), 2 hr per day of training

during the heavy training period (total 28 hr) and 30 min of training per day during the tapering period

(total 3.5-7 hr) for a total time commitment of ~53-56.5 hours.

In order to be eligible to participate in the study you must meet the following criteria:

All procedures will be carried out by qualified personnel and following strict occupation health and

safety guidelines and protocols. However, in order for you to make an informed decision, the risks

associated with the procedures that will be carried are explained below:

1) Participants are at risk because of sustained nature of the physical activity.

2) All exercise carries some risk of pain, discomfort and injury, but the risks associated with the

exercise performed in this study should be no greater than that associated with your usual

training during heavy training and competition periods.

All information collected as part of the study will remain confidential and no information which could

lead to identification of any individual will be released. Data will be recorded on data sheets and then

transferred to electronic data files. All hardcopies and electronic copies of data will be stored in a secure

data storage room within SASI initially and then transferred to the Nutritional Physiology Research

Centre’s research facility at the University until the research has been published, and will then be stored

in the University's archive before being destroyed after 5 years.

Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may withdraw from the study at any time without

prejudice or implications for your relationship with SASI or UniSA. Should you withdraw from the

study, your data will be kept as outlined in the above paragraph and will be analysed where possible.

You will be provided with an honorarium of $300 on completion of the study to cover transport as a

result of having to travel to SASI, and to compensate you for your time and effort and having to change

your training program to the one that we prescribe. Should you complete the study, you will also be

allowed to keep the heart rate monitor that you will use during the study (valued at approximately

$550). Should you withdraw from the study you will be reimbursed on a pro-rata basis, but will not be

permitted to keep the heart rate monitor.

On completion of the study you will be provided with a copy of your personal results and an

explanation of their meaning.

If you would like to participate in the study, or if you, or any member of your family, require more

information to help you arrive at a decision, please contact:

Clint Bellenger

UniSA Phone: 8302 1879 (Thursday-Friday) or SASI Phone: 7424 7781 (Monday-Wednesday)

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This project has been approved by the University of South Australia’s Human Research Ethics

Committee. If you have any ethical concerns about the project or questions about your rights as a

participant please contact the Executive Officer of this Committee, tel: +61 8 8302 3118; email:

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