Comprehensive Athletic Performance Evaluation

At the beginning (Baseline Testing) and the end (Post Testing) of each camp, all athletes undertook assessments of body composition via dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and aerobic capacity ( $\dot{V}$ O_2peak) to investigate changes over the duration of the 4 weeks. The DXA was conducted using a standardised protocol previously described [46 (link)] on an iDXA (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA) with image analysis (enCore v16, GE Healthcare). RMR was assessed according to standardised outpatient protocols described elsewhere [47 (link)]. The incremental exercise test was identical to protocols previously reported [26 (link)]. Briefly, this involved four submaximal walking stages, each lasting 4 min and increasing in speed by 1 km/h each stage. After a 5 min rest, athletes then commenced an incremental ramp protocol, where speed increased every 30 s by 0.5 km/h for 4 min, after which time speed was fixed and gradient increased by 0.5% every 30 s until exhaustion. Respiratory gases were collected and analysed on a custom-built indirect calorimetry system (AIS, Canberra [48 (link)]). These tests were repeated prior to the final experimental trial (post testing).