Cardiopulmonary Reactivity in Bulgarian National Taekwon-Do Team Athletes.

Background: The specific demands of Taekwon-Do, involving dynamic kicks, hand strikes, controlled breathing, and high- intensity efforts under psychological stress, require athletes to maintain optimal cardiorespiratory fitness. Hypothesis/Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the reactivity of the cardiopulmonary system in athletes from the Bulgarian National Taekwon-Do (International Taekwon-Do Federation, ITF) team before and after a training camp. The authors hypothesized that intensive training would improve cardiovascular response and recovery. Study Design: Observational cohort; pre-post study. Methods: Eleven male athletes from the Bulgarian National Taekwon-Do ITF team were evaluated using the Ruffier test and the Master two-step test before and after a three - week training camp. Heart rate and blood pressure were recorded at rest, immediately post-exercise, and during recovery. Cardiovascular reactivity was analyzed using calculated indices from the Ruffier test and workload- and recovery-based metrics from the Master test. Data were analyzed using descriptive and non-parametric statistics to discern changes. Results: Improvements were found in resting heart rate, post-exercise recovery rate, and Ruffier indices, with significant changes in recovery parameters (p<0.05). Performance metrics from the Master test-such as total workload (in kg) and two- minute recovery heart rate also improved, with a statistically significant increase in workload. (p=0.002) These changes indicate enhanced functional adaptation of the cardiopulmonary system. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate improved cardiopulmonary reactivity after intensive training. Functional tests such as Ruffier and Master are effective tools for evaluating cardiovascular performance and guiding training decisions in elite athletes. Level of Evidence: Level 3.