Abstract
This doctoral work aims to optimize athletic performance within the complex discipline of short track speed skating. This pursuit of performance is a convoluted process, as each step involved must be analyzed to extract the necessary factors for improving results. While training hard is essential, scientific advancements over the past few decades have demonstrated the importance of training intelligently.Thus, the individualization of training makes complete sense, as each individual requires a unique approach to reach their level of excellence. The coach's role is to identify the key factors of performance within their discipline and to understand the person behind the athlete in order to facilitate their progress. Therefore, they need to implement proven methods of quantifying loads (both internal and external) experienced by the athletes to track and understand the resulting (positive and negative) developments. Utilizing these methods allows the coach to anticipate future performances through modeling systems that can predict individualized training strategies.First, in the present manuscript, we addressed the concept of training modeling by providing a review of the different determinants of performance, covering physical, technical, tactical, and psychological aspects among others. Based on these determinants, we examined means of quantification before presenting various modeling methods relevant to the sports domain. Next, we turned our attention to an often-overlooked element in athlete preparation: recovery. Indeed, training depletes the body, necessitating adaptation in order to evolve and be capable of absorbing future loads; these adaptations occur during recovery, hence the importance of paying attention to this phase. We applied concepts we deemed relevant within a national short track team, including Olympic athletes, and attempted to identify key elements to optimize performance. To achieve this, three distinct studies were conducted. The first aimed to propose a quantification method based on the record power profile of each skater to design a method for individualizing loads. This study gathered training and performance data over three months to establish the individual profiles of each athlete.The subsequent two studies focused on the physiological adaptations brought about by different recovery processes, particularly the use of hot water immersion (HWI). The first study compared, via a crossover protocol, the effects of passive recovery versus HWI recovery post-training on performance over two four-week training periods. The second study compared the effects of three recovery methods on the ability to repeat sprints following an exhausting on-ice session. The recovery methods compared included active recovery, cold water immersion, and HWI. These tests aimed to provide concrete solutions to optimize the Olympic preparation of athletes by maximizing their responses to training stimuli through appropriate recovery choices.