Thesis (M.S.)--Portland State University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 29-30).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-85). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos de um programa de capacitação de treinadores sobre comportamentos de um treinador de tênis no estabelecimento de metas para seus atletas durante o treino. Um treinador de tênis com 21 anos de idade e 3 de experiência, e dois atletas, com idade entre 15 e 16 anos, que treinavam e competiam regularmente, participaram da pesquisa. O estudo foi dividido em três fases. Na fase de linha de base,realizou-se a filmagem de 11 sessões de treino e calculou-se a porcentagem de ocorrência de instruções, encorajamentos, críticas/sarcamos, correções e elogios, fornecidos aos atletas, pelo treinador. Registrou-se, também, os tipos de exercícios aplicados pelo treinador e o número de vezes que o treinador registrou o desempenho dos atletas e que participou dos exercícios aplicados. Em seguida, iniciou-se a fase intervenção (Fase 2),composta por quatro passos, em um total de 10 sessões. Cada sessão consistiu no treino de habilidades específicas do treinador (observar e registrar comportamentos, planejar critérios e prazos de evolução do desempenho, fornecer feedback etc.) antes do treino e no acompanhamento subseqüente do treino com os atletas. Providenciou-se feedback para o treinador, durante os treinos e ao final destes. Finalmente, na pós-intervenção (Fase 3),procedeu-se como na Linha de Base. Os resultados mostraram que houve aumento na porcentagem de instruções, correções e elogios descritivos e redução na porcentagem de críticas/sarcasmos, durante e após a intervenção. Observou-se, ainda, que houve um aumento da porcentagem de registros dos desempenhos dos atletas e da participação do treinador nos exercícios. Verificou-se que os comportamentos aprendidos pelo treinador ocorreram nas interações com outros alunos de outras turmas. Também observou-se melhora no desempenho dos atletas – que atingiram as metas estabelecidas. Os resultados sugerem, portanto, a efetividade da intervenção na capacitação de treinadores no uso da estratégia de estabelecimento de metas, bem como a necessidade de mais investigações com um maior número de treinadores, de diferentes modalidades. / The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a coach training program on the behaviors of a tennis coach while establishing goals for his athletes during practice. A 21-year – old coach with 3 years of experience, and 2 athletes, aged between 5 and 16 years old who have practiced and competed regularly took part in this research. The study was divided in three phase. During the baseline phase, 11 sessions of training were filmed and the percentage of occurrence of the instructions, encouragement, criticism/sarcasm,corrections and praise, given to athletes by their coach, were calculated. It was also recorded the type of drills used and the number of times in which the coach has registered the athletes development and his participation in the required drills. Following, it was initiated the intervention phase (Phase 2), consisting of four steps, totalizing 10 sessions. Each session was composed of the training of specific coach abilities (observe, register the athlete’s behavior, criterion and development time, provide feedback etc.) before practice and by the post-training follow-up with the athletes. Feedback was provided for the coach, during and after the training. Finally, during the post-intervention (Phase 3), procedures were set such as in baseline phase. The results showed that was an increase of the percentage of instructions, corrections and descriptive praise, and the decrease of the percentage of criticism/sarcasm, during and after intervention. It was also observed the increase of number of times when the development of the athletes were registered and the coach’s participation in the performed drills. It was seen that the knowledge obtained by the coach was used to interact with different students other than those. It was also observed the improvement on the athletes performance – who have achieved the established goals. Therefore, the results suggest the effectiveness of the intervention while training coaches in the use of the goal-setting strategy, as well as the need of further investigation using a larger number of coaches in sports other than tennis.

Introdução: A esgrima é um esporte de agilidade, com maior incidência de lesões em membros inferiores, sendo a entorse de tornozelo a mais prevalente. A prevenção de lesões é muito importante para melhorar o desempenho e diminuir o tempo de afastamento dos atletas. Programas de treinamento proprioceptivo podem ser acrescentados aos treinamentos dos atletas, visto que além da fácil aplicação e do baixo custo, a propriocepção tem a função de estabilizar a articulação do tornozelo, prevenindo lesões. Objetivo: Verificar a influência de um programa de treinamento proprioceptivo de 12 semanas sobre o controle neurofuncional e a incidência de lesões em atletas de esgrima. Materiais e Métodos: O estudo foi um ensaio clínico randomizado, com atletas de esgrima, de 14 a 35 anos, de um clube poliesportivo de Porto Alegre/RS, e desenvolvido em seis etapas: familiarização, pré intervenção, intervenção, pós intervenção, follow up de três e seis meses. Na primeira etapa foi feita a familiarização com o teste de força e o registro das lesões ocorridas no ano anterior. Na etapa pré intervenção foi avaliada a instabilidade funcional por meio do Cumberland Ankle Instability Tools (CAIT); força muscular de inversores, eversores, dorsiflexores e plantiflexores do tornozelo através do dinamômetro isocinético; o tempo de reação dos mesmos músculos durante o Lunge Test; o controle neuromuscular durante a Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) e o desempenho no Drop Vertical Jump Test (DVJT). Na intervenção os atletas realizaram o treinamento proprioceptivo durante 12 semanas, três vezes por semana, com duração de 30 minutos. No pós intervenção, no follow up de três e seis meses foram realizados os mesmos testes do pré intervenção e o registro da incidência das lesões ocorridas nesses intervalos de tempo. Para análise estatística, os dados foram apresentados em média e erro padrão, submetidos ao teste de Equações de Estimativas Generalizadas com post hoc de Bonferroni. O nível de significância foi de 0,05. Resultados: Em relação à instabilidade funcional de tornozelo, o CAIT demonstrou que os atletas tinham instabilidade no momento pré intervenção e a mesma permaneceu ao longo dos quatro momentos de avaliação nos dois grupos. A força muscular de inversores e plantiflexores diminuiu significativamente, a de eversores não diferiu e a de dorsiflexores aumentou significativamente na perna da frente do grupo intervenção (GI). No grupo controle (GC) houve diminuição significativa da força de todos os músculos avaliados na perna da frente e de trás. Na perna de trás do GI apenas a força de inversores teve alterações, com diminuição significativa. A razão convencional de eversores/inversores e dorsiflexores/plantiflexores aumentou significativamente na perna da frente do GI e não diferiu na perna de trás desse grupo, enquanto que no GC houve diminuição significativa da razão de dorsiflexores/plantiflexores na perna da frente. A razão funcional de eversores/inversores aumentou significativamente na perna da frente dos dois grupos. A razão funcional de eversores/inversores da perna de trás, assim como de dorsiflexores/plantiflexores das duas pernas, não diferiu nos dois grupos. O tempo de reação do tibial anterior não diferiu em nenhum dos grupos e em nenhuma das pernas, o do tibial posterior aumentou na perna da frente do GI e do fibular longo e do gastrocnêmio lateral diminuiu significativamente nos dois grupos. A distância alcançada na SEBT aumentou significativamente em todas as oito direções avaliadas nas duas pernas do GI e em algumas direções do GC. O desempenho nos saltos diminui significativamente no DVJT de 40cm e 50cm no GI e no DVJT de 30cm e 50cm no GC. A incidência de lesões diminuiu no GI do momento pré para o pós e aumentou no GC nesse mesmo período. Conclusão: O programa de treinamento proprioceptivo foi capaz de melhorar a força muscular dos dorsiflexores e o controle neuromuscular dinâmico, além de diminuir a incidência de lesões em atletas da esgrima, sem interferências nas demais variáveis. / Introduction: Fencing is a sport of agility, with a higher incidence of lower limb injuries, with ankle sprain being the most prevalent. Injury prevention is very important to improve performance and decrease the withdrawal time of athletes. Proprioceptive training programs can be added to the training of athletes, since in addition to easy application and low cost, proprioception has the function of stabilizing the ankle joint, preventing injuries. Objective: To verify the influence of a 12-week proprioceptive training program on neurofunctional control and the incidence of injuries in fencing athletes. Material and Methods: The study was a randomized clinical trial of 14 to 35 year old fencing athletes from a multi-sport club in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and developed in six stages: familiarization, pre intervention, intervention, post intervention, follow up three and six months. In the first stage the familiarization with the force test and the registry of the injuries occurred in the previous year was made. In the pre intervention stage, functional instability was evaluated through the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tools (CAIT), the muscular strength of the ankle inverters, eversors, dorsiflexors and plantiflexors through the isokinetic dynamometer was evaluated; the reaction time of the same muscles during the Lunge Test; the neuromuscular control during the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) and the performance in the Drop Vertical Jump Test (DVJT). In the intervention, the athletes performed the proprioceptive training for 12 weeks, three times a week, lasting 30 minutes. In the post-intervention, at the follow up of three and six months, the same pre-intervention tests were performed and the incidence of lesions occurred at these time intervals. For statistical analysis, the data were presented in mean and standard error, submitted to the Generalized Estimates Equations test with Bonferroni post hoc. The level of significance was 0,05. Results: Regarding functional ankle instability, the CAIT demonstrated that the athletes had instability at the pre-intervention time and it remained throughout the four evaluation moments in both groups. The muscle strength of inverters and plantiflexors decreased significantly, that of eversors did not differ and that of dorsiflexors increased significantly in the front leg of the intervention group (IG). In the control group (CG) there was a significant decrease in the strength of all the muscles evaluated in the front and back legs. In the back leg of the IG only the inverter force had changes, with significant decrease. The conventional ratio of eversor/inverters and dorsiflexors/plantiflexors increased significantly in the front leg of the IG and did not differ in the hind leg of this group, whereas in CG there was a significant decrease in the ratio of dorsiflexors/plantiflexors in the front leg. The functional ratio of eversor/inverters increased significantly in the front leg of the two groups. The functional ratio of rear leg eversor/inverters, as well as dorsiflexors/plantiflexors of the two legs, did not differ in the two groups. The reaction time of the anterior tibial did not differ in any of the groups, nor in any of the legs, that of the posterior tibial increased in the front leg of the intervention group and the long fibular and lateral gastrocnemius decreased significantly in both groups The distance reached in the SEBT increased significantly in all eight directions evaluated in the two legs of the IG and in some directions of the control group. The performance in the jumps decreases significantly in the DVJT of 40cm and 50cm in the IG and in the DVJT of 30cm and 50cm in the CG. The incidence of lesions decreased in the IG from the pre-post to the post and increased in the CG in the same period. Conclusion: The proprioceptive training program was able to improve the muscular strength of the dorsiflexors and the dynamic neuromuscular control, besides reducing the incidence of injuries in fencing athletes, without interferences in the other variables.

The purpose of this research is to analyse the process of South Korean nationalism and national identity construction through studying Chinese table tennis players that have become naturalised citizens of South Korea. Based on an Eliasian theoretical and methodological prospective, this research employs three different methods of analysis. First, it employs archival analysis in the historical context chapter to determine the origins of table tennis and its spread to Northeast Asia, the political and societal role of table tennis in China and South Korea, and the appearance of the first naturalised player in South Korea. Second, this study employs newspaper text analysis to investigate newspaper reports of the South Korean and Chinese table tennis matches from the 1988 Seoul Olympics Games to the 2012 Games in London. This section first examines the flow of Korean nationalism through the table tennis matches between Korea and China, and then explores how the newspaper reports expressed nationalism in regard to the Korean players and naturalised players. Third, this study employs an interview method to gather data from 17 interviewees who have been associated directly or indirectly associated with the Chinese naturalised table tennis players in order to further examine the process of the formation of South Korean national identity. The first analysis regarding historical findings identifies that table tennis has evolved precisely alongside Elias s sportisation theory. In South Korea and China, table tennis has played the role of a national sport. Especially in South Korea, table tennis was a nationalistic sport that opposed anti-colonialism and anti-communism. It was in table tennis that the first naturalised athlete in the history of South Korean sport was selected for the Olympics. In the second analysis, through examining news reports of the Olympic table tennis matches between China and South Korea, this research identifies that South Korean newspapers continue to generate a strong image of nationalism. Moreover, the newspaper reports do not use the same nationalistic sentiments and personal pronouns for South Korean players and naturalised players. Finally, the interview analysis investigates the formation of South Korean identity through the naturalised table tennis players in South Korea. Three national identities groups have arisen in South Korea in response to the emergence of naturalised athletes. The first group approves of globalisation and naturalisation. The second group opposes globalisation and naturalisation. The third group, which comprises the media, has no specific interest in globalisation and naturalisation, but has an identity that changes based on the interests of the media company. In other words, the evidence from the interviews carried out for this thesis shows that South Korean national identity in regard to naturalised athletes remains diversified and not unified.

Esta dissertação tem como objeto as controvérsias instauradas a partir doping e o combate contra a sua utilização. Com o limite continuamente demarcado entre doping e antidoping, entre o lícito e o ilícito do esporte, os próprios limites do corpo, da natureza e do humano são traçados. Nesta direção desenvolver uma abordagem que descreva os coletivos sociotécnicos articulados a partir e através deste permanente conflito entre doping e antidoping é a via de entrada para uma melhor compreensão das relações entre esporte e tecnologia na atualidade. Seja, na performance atlética, que passa a ser compreendida como uma realidade intrinsecamente heterogênea a partir dos diversos artefatos sociotécnicos, conceituais e materiais envolvidos em sua constituição. Como nos contra investimentos realizados pelas instituições esportivas com o intuito de coibir e detectar as práticas de doping. No intuito de apreender como estas relações complexas produzem diversos dispositivos técnicos e conceituais que atuam nas intersecções entre o esporte profissional e a tecnociência, constituindo novas práticas e saberes sobre o corpo do atleta. Por fim, tensionando o anthropos como figura conceitual, tanto eticamente, questionando o que sabemos e compreendemos como humano, como disciplinarmente, explicitando os limites metodológicos da análise antropológica, quando se estabelece como um empreendimento disciplinar, que visa à compreensão do humano. / This dissertation has as its object the controversies brought from doping and combating its use. With the continuously demarcated boundary between doping and anti-doping, between licit and illicit in sport, the limits of the body nature and the human are traced. In this direction the dissertation develops an approach that describes the pleadings from sociotechnical collectives and through this ongoing conflict between doping and antidoping is the entry pathway to a better understanding of the relationship between sport and technology nowadays. An athletic performance shall be understood as a reality intrinsically heterogeneous composed through the socio-technical relations, conceptual and material involved in its constitution , as in the investments made by the sports institutions in order to curb and detect doping practices. In order to grasp how these complex relationships produce various technical and conceptual devices that operate at the intersections between professional sport and technoscience, building new practices and knowledge about the athlete's body. Finally, tensing the anthropos as a conceptual figure, both ethically questioning what we know and understand as human as disciplinary, highlighting the methodological limits of anthropological analysis, when it happens as disciplinary project, which aims at understanding the Human.

Understanding consumer behavior is one of the pivotal elements for success in any business. Among the various concepts in consumer behavior, the consumer decision-making process has gained much attention from both academics and practitioners. In Taiwan, scholars and practitioners have paid significant attention to external factors that influence consumer decision-making in various industries. However, few such studies have focused on external factors regarding purchases of products and services in the Taiwanese sport industry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the external factors that influence Taiwanese college students' shoe purchase intention. Data were collected to examine do external factors differed between genders and grade levels. Six external factors were identified from the literature review. The external factors were brand, price, style, durability, comfort, and athletic ndorsement/ promotion. This study utilized a 5-point Likert scale survey to examine the external factors influence Taiwanese college students' shoe purchase intention. A total of 416 Taiwanese college students from Southern Taiwan University were surveyed. Descriptive analysis, multiple regressions analysis, and one-way ANOVA were employed in this study. First of all, descriptive statistic analysis is used to categorize the participants based on their gender, age, grade, favorite athletic shoe brand, and how often did they purchase athletic shoes. Second, multiple regression analysis was used to predict which external factors had the most influence in Taiwanese college students' athletic shoe purchase intention. The results of multiple regression analysis demonstrated that comfort and style were the most influential factors in Taiwanese college students. Third, one-way ANOVA were used to measure the difference between gender and grade level for Taiwanese college students shoe purchase.

Introdução: A esgrima é um esporte de agilidade, com maior incidência de lesões em membros inferiores, sendo a entorse de tornozelo a mais prevalente. A prevenção de lesões é muito importante para melhorar o desempenho e diminuir o tempo de afastamento dos atletas. Programas de treinamento proprioceptivo podem ser acrescentados aos treinamentos dos atletas, visto que além da fácil aplicação e do baixo custo, a propriocepção tem a função de estabilizar a articulação do tornozelo, prevenindo lesões. Objetivo: Verificar a influência de um programa de treinamento proprioceptivo de 12 semanas sobre o controle neurofuncional e a incidência de lesões em atletas de esgrima. Materiais e Métodos: O estudo foi um ensaio clínico randomizado, com atletas de esgrima, de 14 a 35 anos, de um clube poliesportivo de Porto Alegre/RS, e desenvolvido em seis etapas: familiarização, pré intervenção, intervenção, pós intervenção, follow up de três e seis meses. Na primeira etapa foi feita a familiarização com o teste de força e o registro das lesões ocorridas no ano anterior. Na etapa pré intervenção foi avaliada a instabilidade funcional por meio do Cumberland Ankle Instability Tools (CAIT); força muscular de inversores, eversores, dorsiflexores e plantiflexores do tornozelo através do dinamômetro isocinético; o tempo de reação dos mesmos músculos durante o Lunge Test; o controle neuromuscular durante a Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) e o desempenho no Drop Vertical Jump Test (DVJT). Na intervenção os atletas realizaram o treinamento proprioceptivo durante 12 semanas, três vezes por semana, com duração de 30 minutos. No pós intervenção, no follow up de três e seis meses foram realizados os mesmos testes do pré intervenção e o registro da incidência das lesões ocorridas nesses intervalos de tempo. Para análise estatística, os dados foram apresentados em média e erro padrão, submetidos ao teste de Equações de Estimativas Generalizadas com post hoc de Bonferroni. O nível de significância foi de 0,05. Resultados: Em relação à instabilidade funcional de tornozelo, o CAIT demonstrou que os atletas tinham instabilidade no momento pré intervenção e a mesma permaneceu ao longo dos quatro momentos de avaliação nos dois grupos. A força muscular de inversores e plantiflexores diminuiu significativamente, a de eversores não diferiu e a de dorsiflexores aumentou significativamente na perna da frente do grupo intervenção (GI). No grupo controle (GC) houve diminuição significativa da força de todos os músculos avaliados na perna da frente e de trás. Na perna de trás do GI apenas a força de inversores teve alterações, com diminuição significativa. A razão convencional de eversores/inversores e dorsiflexores/plantiflexores aumentou significativamente na perna da frente do GI e não diferiu na perna de trás desse grupo, enquanto que no GC houve diminuição significativa da razão de dorsiflexores/plantiflexores na perna da frente. A razão funcional de eversores/inversores aumentou significativamente na perna da frente dos dois grupos. A razão funcional de eversores/inversores da perna de trás, assim como de dorsiflexores/plantiflexores das duas pernas, não diferiu nos dois grupos. O tempo de reação do tibial anterior não diferiu em nenhum dos grupos e em nenhuma das pernas, o do tibial posterior aumentou na perna da frente do GI e do fibular longo e do gastrocnêmio lateral diminuiu significativamente nos dois grupos. A distância alcançada na SEBT aumentou significativamente em todas as oito direções avaliadas nas duas pernas do GI e em algumas direções do GC. O desempenho nos saltos diminui significativamente no DVJT de 40cm e 50cm no GI e no DVJT de 30cm e 50cm no GC. A incidência de lesões diminuiu no GI do momento pré para o pós e aumentou no GC nesse mesmo período. Conclusão: O programa de treinamento proprioceptivo foi capaz de melhorar a força muscular dos dorsiflexores e o controle neuromuscular dinâmico, além de diminuir a incidência de lesões em atletas da esgrima, sem interferências nas demais variáveis. / Introduction: Fencing is a sport of agility, with a higher incidence of lower limb injuries, with ankle sprain being the most prevalent. Injury prevention is very important to improve performance and decrease the withdrawal time of athletes. Proprioceptive training programs can be added to the training of athletes, since in addition to easy application and low cost, proprioception has the function of stabilizing the ankle joint, preventing injuries. Objective: To verify the influence of a 12-week proprioceptive training program on neurofunctional control and the incidence of injuries in fencing athletes. Material and Methods: The study was a randomized clinical trial of 14 to 35 year old fencing athletes from a multi-sport club in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and developed in six stages: familiarization, pre intervention, intervention, post intervention, follow up three and six months. In the first stage the familiarization with the force test and the registry of the injuries occurred in the previous year was made. In the pre intervention stage, functional instability was evaluated through the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tools (CAIT), the muscular strength of the ankle inverters, eversors, dorsiflexors and plantiflexors through the isokinetic dynamometer was evaluated; the reaction time of the same muscles during the Lunge Test; the neuromuscular control during the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) and the performance in the Drop Vertical Jump Test (DVJT). In the intervention, the athletes performed the proprioceptive training for 12 weeks, three times a week, lasting 30 minutes. In the post-intervention, at the follow up of three and six months, the same pre-intervention tests were performed and the incidence of lesions occurred at these time intervals. For statistical analysis, the data were presented in mean and standard error, submitted to the Generalized Estimates Equations test with Bonferroni post hoc. The level of significance was 0,05. Results: Regarding functional ankle instability, the CAIT demonstrated that the athletes had instability at the pre-intervention time and it remained throughout the four evaluation moments in both groups. The muscle strength of inverters and plantiflexors decreased significantly, that of eversors did not differ and that of dorsiflexors increased significantly in the front leg of the intervention group (IG). In the control group (CG) there was a significant decrease in the strength of all the muscles evaluated in the front and back legs. In the back leg of the IG only the inverter force had changes, with significant decrease. The conventional ratio of eversor/inverters and dorsiflexors/plantiflexors increased significantly in the front leg of the IG and did not differ in the hind leg of this group, whereas in CG there was a significant decrease in the ratio of dorsiflexors/plantiflexors in the front leg. The functional ratio of eversor/inverters increased significantly in the front leg of the two groups. The functional ratio of rear leg eversor/inverters, as well as dorsiflexors/plantiflexors of the two legs, did not differ in the two groups. The reaction time of the anterior tibial did not differ in any of the groups, nor in any of the legs, that of the posterior tibial increased in the front leg of the intervention group and the long fibular and lateral gastrocnemius decreased significantly in both groups The distance reached in the SEBT increased significantly in all eight directions evaluated in the two legs of the IG and in some directions of the control group. The performance in the jumps decreases significantly in the DVJT of 40cm and 50cm in the IG and in the DVJT of 30cm and 50cm in the CG. The incidence of lesions decreased in the IG from the pre-post to the post and increased in the CG in the same period. Conclusion: The proprioceptive training program was able to improve the muscular strength of the dorsiflexors and the dynamic neuromuscular control, besides reducing the incidence of injuries in fencing athletes, without interferences in the other variables.

Previous attentional focus literature suggests that adopting an external focus (EF) results in greater force production through a variety of mechanisms. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of attentional focus and dual-tasking when performing heavily loaded barbell movements that are specific to strength-based sports. Fifteen resistance-trained males (age = 23.3 ± 3.4 years) reported to the laboratory for three visits. The first visit consisted of a five-repetition maximum (5RM) test on the conventional deadlift. During the subsequent sessions, the participants performed a total of twelve single conventional deadlift repetitions while adopting an internal focus (IF), an external focus (EF), or while performing the cognitive task (COG). The IF and EF consisted of focusing on activating the quadriceps and maintain a straight bar path, respectively. The COG consisted of counting the total occurrence of two single-digits in a sequence of three-digit numbers, separately. Three-dimensional motion capture and force platforms were used to collect kinematic and kinetic data. No significant differences were found between the IF, the EF and the COG for lift duration, peak barbell velocity, peak vertical ground reaction force, area of 95% confidence ellipse, peak hip moments and peak hip powers. Adopting an EF significantly reduced variability of the barbell trajectory and centre of pressure (COP) in the anterior-posterior direction. Mean velocity of COP was also significantly lower for the EF. Our findings suggest that adopting an EF may lead to greater postural stability when performing heavily loaded barbell movements.

Master of Science / Department of Human Nutrition / Mark Haub / The purpose of this review is to examine the role of heart rate variability (HRV) as a predictor of athletic readiness and performance and assess whether nutrition strategies can be implemented to create favorable HRV indices with the goal of improving athletic readiness and performance. The balance between training and recovery is crucial for reaching an optimal adaptation and avoiding overtraining, allowing for improved readiness to train and compete. The measurement of HRV is non-invasive and is used primarily to quantify physical and mental stress in athletes by monitoring the effects of the autonomic nervous system on the heart. Current data suggests a relationship between resting parasympathetic tone, via time and frequency domains, and athletic performance. Parasympathetic modulated HRV indices have been associated with performance metrics such as peripheral work capacity, aerobic power, running and sprint performance, swimming performance, weight lifting performance, anaerobic capacity, strength, and enhanced mental focus/skill execution. The use of nutrition to help enhance sports performance is becoming more common. Evidence-based sports nutrition provides fuel for training/competition, assists in maximizing training adaptations, enhances recovery, improves mental focus, and aids in injury prevention and recovery. The use of nutrition strategies to influence HRV is novel and current evidence is scarce in regards to nutritional effects on HRV, specifically in athletes. Current research suggests that achieving energy balance and decreasing body fat in overweight/obese individuals has positive effects on the vagal component of HRV indices. Proper hydration, fruit and vegetable intake, a moderate carbohydrate diet, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation/intake also seem to have positive effects on HRV indices. Certain individual supplements have been studied in regards to HRV including casein hydrolysate, amaranth oil, and bovine colostrum. Caffeine seems to have the opposite effect on HRV indices, increasing sympathetic modulation while decreasing parasympathetic modulation. Much more research needs to be done in regard to potential nutritional influences on HRV so that sport dietitians feel confident in the methods currently used to assess athlete readiness and determining what types of nutrition strategies may be used to further improve the performance of an athlete.