Chronobiology and training

Did you know that biological rhythms play a crucial role in the consolidation of motor skills? This is what a recent doctoral thesis by Charlène Truong Minh Chieu (2023) tends to demonstrate, providing a fascinating insight into the impact of the time of day on motor learning. Basil More-Chevalier, a coach at the Hamburg SV academy (German D2), recently shared some of the results of this research. In particular, we learn that during morning training, motor memory is more fragile, while during afternoon or evening training, skills consolidation is better, especially when followed by a good night's sleep. And the German coach asks: "Should training plans take chronobiology into account to improve learning effectiveness? In elite academies where marginal gains matter, considering the timing of training could have a significant impact.”