Heart rate response during a simulated Olympic boxing match is predominantly above ventilatory threshold 2: a cross sectional study

Abstract

The present study aimed to describe heart rate (HR) responses during a simulated Olympic boxing match and examine physiological parameters of boxing athletes. Ten highly trained Olympic boxing athletes (six men and four women) performed a maximal graded exercise test on a motorized treadmill to determine maximal oxygen uptake (52.2 mL ⋅ kg -1 ⋅ min -1 ± 7.2 mL ⋅ kg -1 ⋅ min -1 ) and ventilatory thresholds 1 and 2. Ventilatory thresholds 1 and 2 were used to classify the intensity of exercise based on respective HR during . a boxing match. In addition, oxygen uptake (V O 2 ) was estimated during the match based on . the HR response and the HR-V O 2 relationship obtained from a maximal graded exercise test for each participant. On a separate day, participants performed a boxing match lasting three rounds, 2 minutes each, with a 1-minute recovery period between each round, during which . HR was measured. In this context, HR and V O 2 were above ventilatory threshold 2 during . 219.8 seconds ± 67.4 seconds. There was an increase in HR and V O 2 as a function of round (round 3  round 2  round 1, P  0.0001).These findings may direct individual training programs for boxing practitioners and other athletes.