Variability of Competition-Based Caloric Expenditure and Relative Heart Rates in National Collegiate Athletic...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Basketball Performance Analysis

Background:

• Basketball athletes frequently experience high-intensity play (≥85% HRpeak).
• The relationship between high-intensity play, caloric expenditure, and relative heart rates in NCAA Division I women's basketball remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess caloric expenditure and relative heart rates during NCAA Division I women's basketball games.
• To compare team-based versus individual athlete data for training and fueling insights.

Main Methods:

• Monitored 11 female athletes across 31 games using heart rate-based wearable devices.
• Recorded estimated caloric expenditure, average and peak relative heart rates, time at high intensity (≥85% HRpeak), and live playing time.
• Analyzed data by team across quarters and compared individual athlete performance.

Main Results:

• Caloric expenditure and average heart rate showed significant differences across 10-minute quarters.
• Caloric expenditure increased from the first to the fourth quarter.
• Significant individual athlete variations were observed in caloric expenditure, heart rate, and playing intensity.

Conclusions:

• Individual athlete assessments offer more precise data on caloric expenditure, heart rate, and playing intensity compared to team-wide, quarter-based analyses.
• This individualized data can enhance the development of training and fueling protocols for basketball players.