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September 30, 2025 18 mins

How can heart rate variability help athletes optimize training? What role does post-activation performance enhancement play in endurance and power sports? In this episode, Dr. Daniel Boullosa and Dr. Olli Tikkanen explore cutting-edge research on athlete monitoring, fatigue management, and neuromuscular readiness.

Dr. Boullosa discusses the significance of heart rate variability (HRV) in assessing recovery, readiness, and overall training load, explaining how HRV responses vary depending on the type of sport and individual athlete characteristics. The conversation covers the importance of subjective feedback, emphasizing how simple athlete-coach communication can sometimes be the best performance indicator. The episode also delves into post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) and how different training stimuli impact endurance and power athletes. Dr. Boullosa shares findings from his research, revealing that endurance athletes often improve performance after prolonged exercise, while power athletes may experience the opposite effect.

This episode provides valuable insights for sports scientists, coaches, and athletes looking to refine their training and recovery strategies. Learn how physiological monitoring and personalized warm-ups can enhance athletic performance across different disciplines.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | Better Sleep, Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity Research with Less Hassle

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Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely - Discover ground-breaking Fibion SENS

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Learn more about Fibion Flash - a versatile customizable tool with HRV and accelerometry capability. 

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SB and PA measurements, analysis, and feedback made easy. Learn more about Fibion Research.

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Fibion Helix – Ideal for large scale studies. Scalable and affordable with patented precision.

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Fibion G2 – validated data on sitting, standing, activity types, energy expenditure, with participant friendly reports.  

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Learn more about Fibion Sleep and Fibion Circadian Rhythm Solutions.

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Fibion Kids - Activity tracking designed for children.

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Explore our Wearables, Experience sampling method (ESM), Sleep, Heart rate variability (HRV), Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity article collections for insights on related articles.

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Refer to our article "Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Measurements" for an exploration of active and sedentary lifestyle assessment methods.

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Learn about actigraphy in our guide: Exploring Actigraphy in Scientific Research: A Comprehensive Guide.

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Gain foundational ESM insights with "Introduction to Experience Sampling Method (ESM)" for a comprehensive overview.

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Explore accelerometer use in health research with our article "Measuring Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior with Accelerometers ".

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For an introduction to the fundamental aspects of HRV, consider revisiting our Ultimate Guide to Heart Rate Variability.

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Follow the podcast on Twitter https://twitter.com/PA_Researcher 

Follow host Dr Olli Tikkanen on Twitter https://twitter.com/ollitikkanen 

Follow Fibion on Twitter https://twitter.com/fibion 

Check our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com


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