Abstract
Aim of this thesis is to optimise sports performance through a complex discipline that is short-track speed skating. This searchfor performance is a stringy process, because each step which composes it, must to be analyzed in order to extract the factors which promote results optimization. Although training hard is important, scientific advances in recent decades have shown that it is necessary to train intelligently. In fact, training individualization makes sense, because each individual requires their own approach to reach their level of excellence.Coach roles is to identify key factors of performance within their discipline, and to understand the human being behind the athlete in order to help them progress. It is therefore necessary to implement methods for quantifying loads (internal and external) admistried to athletes, in order to be able to monitor and understand evolves (positive and negative) that result from them. The use of these methods helps coach to anticipate future performances thanks to systems models that can predict individualized training strategies.First of all, on present manuscript, we approached this notion of training modeling by proposing a review of the different determinants of performance, covering, among other things, physical, technical, tactical and psychological aspects. From these determinants, we were interested in the means of quantifying them, before presenting the different modeling methods affecting sports field. Then, we looked at an element that has long been neglected in the preparation of athletes, the recovery. Indeed, training exhausts body and imposes it to adapt in order to evolve and be able to absorb future loads, it seemed important to us to pay attention to it. Thus, we applied concepts that we judged as pertinent inside a national short-track team, composed with olympics athletes, and attempted to determine keys factors to optimise performance.To achieve it, three separate works were conducted. The first aimed to propose a quantification method based on the record power profile of each skater in order to design a method for individualizing loads. This study collected training and performance data over a period of three months in order to establish individual profiles of each athlete. The two studies that followed focused on physiological adaptations that could be brought about different recovery processes, and in particular the use of hot water immersion (HWI). The first compared, with cross-over protocol, effects on performance of using passive recovery vs. repeated post-training HWI recovery over two periods of four weeks. The second compared effects of three recovery processes on ability to repeat sprints following an exhausted session on ice. Processes compared were: active recovery, cold water immersion and HWI. These tests aimed to offer concrete solutions to optimize Olympic preparation of athletes by maximizing responses to training stimuli through appropriate recovery choices.