Subjective and objective markers of weariness in female curling athletes during various periods of the annual training cycle

Abstract

Effective monitoring of the functional state of the athletes of the national team is a critical factor in preventing overtraining and optimizing the training process. The aim of the study is to determine which type of markers (subjective sensations or objective physiological indicators) reacts earlier to the development of weariness in curling athletes, depending on the training period (general preparatory, special preparatory, pre-competition). The retrospective analysis used data from 8 athletes of the Russian national curling team, collected in five time periods (July 2025 – February 2026). The subjective state was assessed on a 10-point scale (analogous to the Borg scale), the objective state was assessed by resting heart rate. The most pronounced lack of correlation between subjective and objective indicators was revealed in the special preparatory period (autumn 2025), where a decrease in subjective scores to 3 points was not accompanied by critical changes in heart rate. In the general preparatory period, the indicators were the most stable, in the pre-competition period, there was a moderate variability in subjective assessments. Subjective markers of weariness are earlier and more sensitive indicators regardless of the training period, which justifies their priority use in the system of monitoring the training process for curling players.