Performance demands in the endurance rider

Endurance is one of the fastest growing equestrian disciplines worldwide. Races are long distance competitions (40-160 km), organised into loops, over variable terrain usually within one day. Horse and rider combinations in endurance races have to complete the course in good condition whilst also aiming to win. Horse welfare is paramount within the sport and horses are required to ‘pass’ a veterinary check prior to racing, after each loop of the course and at the end of the race. Despite the health, fitness and welfare of both athletes within the horse-rider dyad being essential to achieve success, few equivalent measures assessing the wellbeing of the endurance rider are implemented. This review considers evidence from ultra-endurance sports and rider performance in other equestrian disciplines, to consider physiological and psychological strategies the endurance rider could use to enhance their competition performance. Successful endurance riding requires an effective partnership to be established between horse and rider. Within this partnership, adequate rider health and fitness are key to optimal decision-making to manage the horse effectively during training and competition, but just as importantly riders should manage themselves as an athlete. Targeted management for superior rider performance can underpin more effective decision-making promoting ethical equitation practices and optimising competition performance. Therefore, the responsible and competitive endurance rider needs to consider how they prepare themselves adequately for participation in the sport. This should include engaging in appropriate physiological training for fitness and musculoskeletal strength and conditioning. Alongside planning nutritional strategies to support rider performance in training and within the pre-, peri- and post-competition periods to promote superior physical and cognitive performance, and prevent injury. By applying an evidence informed approach to self-management, the endurance athlete will support the horse and rider partnership to achieve to their optimal capacity, whilst maximising both parties physical and psychological wellbeing.

The Effects of High Mineral Alkaline Water Consumed Over Three Consecutive Days on Reaction Time Following Anaerobic Exercise - A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Crossover Pilot Study

Drinking alkaline water after intense anaerobic exercise may enhance both cognitive and physical performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of high mineral alkaline water consumed over three consecutive days on reaction time after anaerobic exercise in twelve healthy young males (aged 21.1 ± 1.3 years) with a valid sports medical examination. Participants were excluded when they took any medications or performance-enhancing supplements for the period of at least four weeks before the study commenced. Participants were randomly divided into two groups in this double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover pilot study. They ingested either alkaline water (AW) or regular table water ( RTW) for three consecutive days before anaerobic exercise. The anaerobic exercise consisted of two 2-min high-intensity step-tests with a passive rest interval of 3 minutes between the two bouts of exercise. Performance in the step-test (W), reaction time for visual and auditory signals, the rate of perceived exertion (RPE), urine specific gravity, and lactate concentration were analysed. No effect of AW was found on reaction time and the other variables except anaerobic performance. An-aerobic performance was significantly higher after ingestion of AW in both step-tests (p < 0.05). The ingestion of AW for three consecutive days before anaerobic exercise seems to positively affect anaerobic performance.

Influences of Blood Lactate Levels on Cognitive Domains and Physical Health during a Sports Stress. Brief Review

The present review aims to examine the effects of high blood lactate levels in healthy adult humans, for instance, after a period of exhaustive exercise, on the functioning of the cerebral cortex. In some of the examined studies, high blood lactate levels were obtained not only through exhaustive exercise but also with an intravenous infusion of lactate while the subject was immobile. This allowed us to exclude the possibility that the observed post-exercise effects were nonspecific (e.g., cortical changes in temperature, acidity, etc.). We observed that, in both experimental conditions, high levels of blood lactate are associated with a worsening of important cognitive domains such as attention or working memory or stress, without gender differences. Moreover, in both experimental conditions, high levels of blood lactate are associated with an improvement of the primary motor area (M1) excitability. Outside the frontal lobe, the use of visual evoked potentials and somatosensory evoked potentials allowed us to observe, in the occipital and parietal lobe respectively, that high levels of blood lactate are associated with an amplitude’s increase and a latency’s reduction of the early components of the evoked responses. In conclusion, significant increases of blood lactate levels could exercise a double-action in the central nervous system (CNS), with a protecting role on primary cortical areas (such as M1, primary visual area, or primary somatosensory cortex), while reducing the efficiency of adjacent regions, such as the supplementary motor area (SMA) or prefrontal cortex. These observations are compatible with the possibility that lactate works in the brain not only as an energy substrate or an angiogenetic factor but also as a true neuromodulator, which can protect from stress. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms and effects of lactic acid products produced during an anaerobic exercise lactate, focusing on their action at the level of the central nervous system with particular attention to the primary motor, the somatosensory evoked potentials, and the occipital and parietal lobe.

Role of lactic acid on cognitive functions

Objectives: The aim of this research was to establish cognitive changes in relation to blood lactate levels obtained during slow performance of a regimen of exercise sessions. Methods: A total of 15 male professional bodybuilders participated in the study; CrossFit® professionals performed the Workout 15.5, Week 5 Open 2015 consisting of 27-21-15-9 repetitions for time of Row (calories) and Thrusters, with 1-min recovery. Blood lactate, blood glucose, reaction time (RT), execution time of a dual cognitive task, number of errors, and number of omissions were measured at rest, at conclusion of the session, and after recovery for 15 min. Results: The bodybuilders had slightly elevated basal lactate levels than in untrained individuals. The bodybuilders showed significantly increased lactacidemia and decreased RT after completing the training session. Need to define what onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) means. Conclusion: We conclude that bodybuilding fitness regimens lead to an increase in basal lactate levels to 3.16 mmol/L and that acute training sessions can improve attentional performance in relation to lactacidemia, suggesting pro-cognitive effects of a workout.

Sleep Deprivation and Physiological Responses. A Case Report

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 72-h sleep deprivation on normal daily activities (work, family, and sports), and to investigate whether sleep can be chronically reduced without dangerous consequences.

METHODS

The participant in this study was an adult male (age 41 years; mass 69 kg; height 173 cm). During the 72 h, data were collected every 6 h, involving a baseline (pre-deprivation). We monitored various parameters: Oxidative Stress (D-Rom and Bap test), Psychological Responses (test POMS and Measure of Global Stress), Metabolic expenditure (kJ) using a metabolic holter, EEG records, Cortisol, and Catecholamines level.

RESULTS

An interesting result was observed in the post-test phase, when a brief moment of deep sleep and total absence of a very deep sleep occurred, while an almost normal condition occurred in the pre-test sleep.

CONCLUSION

During the 72-h sleep deprivation, no psycho-physiological stress was recorded. The participant has remained within the threshold of well-being. Only a peak was recorded during the 66th hour, but it was within the wellness threshold.

Digit ratio, personality and emotions in skydivers

The aim of the present study was investigate if there is an association between second-to-fourth digit length (2D:4D) ratio and personality factors capable of serving as predictors of individual choice towards high-risk activities in a group of experts skydivers; Furthermore, their skills in regulating anxiety and emotions were assessed. The 2D:4D ratio of the right hand of 41 expert skydivers was measured and each of them completed four questionnaires: Big Five Questionnaire-2 (BFQ-2), Profile of Mood States (POMS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-Y) and Risk-Taking Inventory. Lower 2D:4D ratios did not appear associated with a greater propensity for taking risks but rather with a lower aptitude to assume precautions in unsafe conditions. In fact, the only sub-dimensions of personality, analyzed by the BFQ-2, correlated with the 2D:4D ratio were conscientiousness and agreeableness. Furthermore, prior to launch, the skydiver's level of stress, measured by the POMS, or state anxiety, measured by the STAI-Y, was not significantly correlated with 2D:4D ratio; whereas there was significant positive correlation between 2D:4D values and trait anxiety. Data analysis further revealed that social desirability correlated negatively with state anxiety and total mood disturbance index, and positively with emotion control. The present results suggest that lower 2D:4D ratio may represent a significant predictor of less attentive precautionary behavior when risk-taking.

Effects of an Exhaustive Exercise on Motor Skill Learning and on the Excitability of Primary Motor Cortex and Supplementary Motor Area

We examined, on 28 healthy adult subjects, the possible correlations of an exhaustive exercise, and the consequent high blood lactate levels, on immediate (explicit) and delayed (implicit) motor execution of sequential finger movements (cognitive task). Moreover, we determined with transcranial magnetic stimulation whether changes in motor performance are associated with variations in excitability of primary motor area (M1) and supplementary motor area (SMA). We observed that, after an acute exhaustive exercise, the large increase of blood lactate is associated with a significant worsening of both explicit and implicit sequential visuomotor task paradigms, without gender differences. We also found that, at the end of the exhaustive exercise, there is a change of excitability in both M1 and SMA. In particular, the excitability of M1 was increased whereas that of SMA decreased and, also in this case, without gender differences. These results support the idea that an increase of blood lactate after an exhaustive exercise appears to have a protective effect at level of primary cortical areas (as M1), although at the expense of efficiency of adjacent cortical regions (as SMA).