Breathing is a natural and necessary process for humans. At the same time, the respiratory pace and frequency can vary so much, depending on the status of the subject. Specifically, in sports, breathing can have the effect of limiting performance from a physiological point of view, or, on the other hand, breathing can regulate the psychological status of the athletes. Therefore, the aim of this narrative review is to focus on the literature about the physiological and psychological aspects of breathing pace in sports performance, merging these two aspects because they are usually considered split, in order to create a new integrated vision of breathing and sports performance. Voluntary breathing can be divided into a slow or fast pace (VSB and VFB, respectively), and their effects on both the physiological and psychological parameters are very different. VSB can benefit athletes in a variety of ways, not just physically but mentally as well. It can help improve cardiovascular fitness, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve overall health and well-being, allowing athletes to maintain focus and concentration during training and competition. VFB is normal during physical training and competition, but away from training, if it is not voluntary, it can cause feelings of anxiety, panic, dizziness, and lightheadedness and trigger a stress response in the body, affecting the athlete’s quality of life. In summary, the role of breathing in the performance of athletes should be considered, although no definitive data are available. The connection between breathing and sports performance is still unclear, but athletes can obtain benefits in focus and concentration using slow breathing strategies.

Wearable technologies have become increasingly popular in recent years, as athletes and coaches look for ways to gain a competitive edge. These devices can track a variety of metrics, including heart rate, sleep quality, and movement patterns. This information can be used to identify areas for improvement and make small, incremental changes that can lead to significant gains in performance. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide an integrative overview of the literature on the impact of wearable technologies on marginal gains in sports performance. The literature review was conducted using the Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases, and a total of 55 papers were considered eligible. The results of the literature overview suggest that wearable devices can be classified into three main categories. (1) Location-based wearables (LBW) track an athlete’s location and movement, which can be used to analyze training patterns and identify potential injury risks. (2) Biometric wearables (BMW) track physiological data such as heart rate, sleep quality, and body temperature; these data can be used to monitor an athlete’s fitness levels and identify signs of overtraining. (3) Performance wearables (PMW) track performance metrics such as power output, speed, and distance; this information can be used to optimize training programs and track progress over time. For each category, this paper provides the five most important data points measured by each suggested device. Additionally, sport-specific examples are provided for each category based on the literature data. The limitations of wearable devices, such as accuracy, validity, reliability, interpretability, and cost, are also discussed. However, despite these limitations, the results of the literature review suggest that wearable technologies can be a valuable tool for athletes and coaches who are looking to improve performance. Ultimately, this technological evolution in sports science is likely to dramatically change the state of the art in athletic monitoring and sports analytics.

Aim: Mental fatigue (MF) has been defined as a psychobiological state commonly caused by prolonged periods of demanding cognitive activity. However, the differences between women and men in their reaction times (RTs) to visual stimuli due to mental fatigue remain largely unknown. We compare the differences in RT and heart rate after an acute intervention of mental fatigue between male and female athletes. Materials and methods: For this aim, 64 participants (age 31.7 ± 6.2 y) performed a routine of 15 min of the Stroop test (PsyTool), with 600 tasks and five different colors. Their heart rate (HR) was registered before, during, and one, three, and five minutes after the Stroop test. Meanwhile, the RT was evaluated before and after the Stroop test. A general linear mixed model (GLMM) and a Bonferroni post hoc test were used to compare the HR between the conditions and an ANOVA two-way analysis was used to compare the values pre-/post-Stroop test. (α = 0.05). Results: The GLMM for HR showed an effect on the time (p < 0.001) and the time × group interaction (p = 0.004). The RT was significantly increased pre- to post-Stroop test (p < 0.05); however, there was no difference between the pre- and post-HR measurements (p = 1.000) and the measurements one (p = 0.559), three (p = 1.000) and five (p = 1.000) min after the Stroop test. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that the parasympathetic branch of the autonomous nervous system which functions as a relaxation system tends to be activated under increasing mental fatigue, with a decreased performance (RT) similarly in men and women. Therefore, athletes could use MF induced during training to improve the time delay related to motor tasks.

Post-exercise recovery is a complex process involving a return of performance and a physiological or perceptual feeling close to pre-exercise status. The hypothesis of this study is that the device investigated here is effective in evaluating the recovery state of professional cyclists in order to plan effective training. Ten professional male cyclists belonging to the same team were enrolled in this study. Participants performed a 7-day exercise program [D1, D4, and D7: low-intensity training; D2 and D5: passive recovery; D3: maximum oxygen consumption (VO_2Max) test (for maximum mechanical power assessment only); and D6: constant load test]. During the week of monitoring, each morning before getting up, the device assessed each participant's so-called Organic Readiness {OR [arbitrary unit (a.u.)]}, based on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), features of past exercise session, and following self-perceived condition. Based on its readings and algorithm, the device graphically displayed four different colors/values, indicating general exercise recommendations: green/3 = “you can train hard,” yellow/2 = “you can train averagely,” orange/1 = “you can train lightly,” or red/0 = “you should recover passively.” During the week of research, morning OR values and Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons showed significant differences between days and, namely, values (1) D2 (after low intensity training) was higher than D4 (after VO_2Max test; P = 0.033 and d = 1.296) and (2) D3 and D6 (after passive recovery) were higher than D4 (after VO_2Max test; P = 0.006 and d = 2.519) and D5 (after low intensity training; P = 0.033 and d = 1.341). The receiver operating characteristic analysis area under curve (AUC) recorded a result of 0.727 and could differentiate between D3 and D4 with a sensitivity and a specificity of 80%. Preliminarily, the device investigated is a sufficiently effective and sensitive/specific device to assess the recovery state of athletes in order to plan effective training.

Purpose: Rhythmic (RG) and artistic gymnastics (AG) are very popular female sports. These two disciplines share some common points but, at the same time, they display some relevant differences in terms of physical and technical characteristics. The aim of this study was as follows: (1) to clarify how gymnastic training background over the years could lead to the development and motor learning of the motor skills and (2) to highlight differences of conditional skills achieved by RG and AG athletes. Methods: For these aims, 45 athletes were selected, belonging to three balanced groups: promotional (PG, n = 15), RG (n = 15), and AG (n = 15). Participants were tested for joints mobility, balance, explosive strength, speed, and endurance tests. Results: Statistical analysis showed a good test–retest reliability of the measurements (ICC > 0.870) and some significant differences between PG, RG, and AG. RG showed higher values in joint mobility tests (coxo-femoral mobility, 166.7 ± 6.3°; sit and reach, 20.5 ± 1.9 cm; and scapulo-humeral mobility, 45.5 ± 4.4 cm) with respect to AG, while AG showed higher values in endurance (1626.7 ± 7.4 m), balance (4.33 ± 1.35 n/60 s), and explosive strength (164.1 ± 11.6 cm) compared to RG (p < 0.05). Conclusion: RG and AG seem to be effective in enhancing different and sport-specific physical fitness and conditioning. RG enables, indeed, to develop more joints mobility whereas AG improves more strength, balance, and endurance. However, given the small sample size employed, these results should be replicated by further studies utilizing larger samples.

There is a strong need for a new, probably cheaper, smaller, and more portable isometric dynamometer. With this aim, we investigated the concurrent validity and reliability of a low-cost portable dynamometer to measure the isometric strength of the lower limb. Seventeen young participants (age 16.47 ± 0.51 years) were randomly assessed on three different days for knee flexion and extension isometric forces with two different devices: a commonly used isokinetic dynamometer (ISOC) and a portable isometric dynamometer prototype (ISOM). No significant differences were observed between the ISOC and the ISOM (all comparisons p > 0.05). Test–retest comparison showed the ISOM to have high reliability (ICC 0.879–0.990). This study showed that measurements with the ISOM could be performed without systematic bias and with high reliability. The ISOM is a device that is able to assess knee isometric strength with excellent concurrent validity and reliability.