Heart rate response to different training phases in young female acrosport athletes

Background Acrosport is a specific type of gymnastics executed in pairs or groups of athletes, characterized by static, acrobatic, and choreographic elements. Very few data are available in the literature on the physiological profile of acrosport athletes. Purpose The aim of the study was to evaluate the heart rate (HR) response to the different phases of a typical acrosport training session. Methods Twenty female acrosport athletes (13 bases and 7 tops) volunteered for the study. To assess the cardio- vascular commitment and the percentage of HR utilized, data were averaged during the entire training session and for each training phase. Was calculated also the percentage of HR reserve for each training phase. Results HR response showed a statistical difference among the different training phases in both base and top athletes. Moreover, bases and tops had a significantly dif- ferent HR response only in the individual phases. Conclusion The training phases during a typical acrosport training session revealed a different cardiovascular com- mitment during exercise. Differences between tops and bases were also retrieved and were probably due to the different level of experience and the different role played by tops and bases during the same combination of exercises.