Effects of speed-power load adaptation on heart rate variability during visuomotor task performance
Abstract
Adaptation to physical exercise is a multilevel process that modulates autonomic nervous system (ANS) function, thereby influencing cardiovascular regulation and stress responsiveness. The role of ANS adaptation to physical stressors, especially speed-strength loads, in shaping autonomic responses to visuomotor tasks, remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate HRV dynamics in individuals with different levels of adaptation to speed-strength loads under conditions of various visuomotor tasks. The sample comprised 22 trained karate athletes and 26 untrained students, matched for age, body mass, and height. HRV indices (HR, SDNN, RMSSD, pNN 50 , SD 1 , SD 2 ) were recorded at rest conditions and during a battery of visuomotor tasks of graded complexity: simple visual-motor reaction, visuomotor anticipation, stimulus discrimination, and a tapping test. At rest, trained athletes demonstrated significantly higher RMSSD, pNN 50 , and SD 1 values, together with lower HR, indicating enhanced parasympathetic modulation. During task performance, both groups exhibited reductions in heart rate variability (SDNN, SD 2 ), consistent with sympathetic activation, although the magnitude of these changes was greater in the trained group. The most pronounced alterations were observed during the tapping test, where trained athletes showed marked decreases in RMSSD, SD 1 , and pNN 50 , alongside a pronounced HR increase, reflecting a rapid shift toward sympathetic dominance. These findings suggest that long-term speed-strength training is associated with elevated parasympathetic tone at rest and a more dynamic autonomic reorganization under acute psychophysiological stress. Such modulation may represent a physiological marker of functional readiness, reflecting the ability of trained individuals to mobilize cardiovascular resources during cognitively demanding or emotiona l ly stressful conditions. This study advances understanding of cross-adaptation mechanisms and highlights the relevance of HRV analysis for assessing adaptive responses in physically trained populations.References
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