Intensity of a training session during Ramadan in fasting and non-fasting Tunisian youth football players

Abstract Heart rate was measured in 79 young male soccer players during training in the third week of Ramadan. Forty-eight players were practising Ramadan fasting, while the other 31 players were eating normally. All participants trained for 60–80 min at an ambient temperature of 25–28°C and relative humidity of 50–53%. Heart rate, which was measured throughout the training session, was marginally higher in the fasting (mean 144 beats · min−1, s = 25) than in the non-fasting (139 beats · min−1, s = 23) group (P < 0.001). When assessed as the percentage of heart rate reserve utilized, however, the training load was similar for both groups (62%, s = 8). No difference was detected in training intensity for the fasting and non-fasting groups when quantified by either training impulse (253, s = 139 and 253, s = 108, respectively) or training load indicator (222, s = 123 and 179, s = 49, respectively). The overall subjective rating of perceived exertion of the training session reported 20 min after finishing tr...