Effects of Ramadan Fasting on Perceived Exercise Intensity during High-Intensity Interval Training in Elite Youth Soccer Players

Abstract

Ramadan fasting increases subjective feelings of fatigue and reduces self-motivation during exercise. Exercising in the Ramadan fasted state leads to a quality of training that is lower than normal due to a reduction in exercise intensity and/or physical efforts. This field investigation examined the impact of Ramadan fasting on perceived exercise intensity during high-intensity training sessions and its impact on maximal aerobic performance, in elite-level youth soccer players. The National Under-18 squad was organized into a fasting (FAS) and a non-fasting (control, CON) groups. During the Ramadan month, in addition to the normal soccer-specific training, both FAS and CON underwent six specific conditioning sessions consisting of high-intensity aerobic and anaerobic interval running. There were no significant differences between groups' post-exercise ratings of perceived exertion in all sessions. There were no significant differences between groups for Beep test performances at pre- and post-Ramadan. There was no adverse effect of fasting on perceived exercise intensity in Ramadan fasted players, and also no impact on their maximal aerobic performance post-Ramadan.