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Newsletter #2

Insights into the 2026 International Sport Science Congress in Seoul 🇰🇷


Hello and welcome to this month's HRV LABorde Newsletter!


Latest news

Recently the 2026 International Sport Science Congress took place in Seoul at the Korea National Sports University. The congress welcomes concise oral research presentations and poster exchanges across sport psychophysiology, autonomic regulation, recovery science, and applied performance systems. Prof. Dr. Dr. Sylvain Laborde contributed with a keynote talk, workshops and lectures regarding a focused exploration of how Heart Rate Variability, Vagal Tank Theory, and applied psychophysiology can inform better readiness, recovery, and performance decisions in sport. Within his time in Korea, Sylvain was able to visit the Korean Institute of Sport Science (Olympia park), present his book "Heart Rate Variability" and visit the Chonnam National University Gwangju.

Grounded in Vagal Tank Theory, the event bridged cutting-edge research with practical field application to show how heart rate variability can inform athlete readiness, recovery, and performance optimization.


Here is a recap of the highlights from August 20, 2026:

  • Morning Workshop: Attendees gained hands-on experience interpreting HRV signals, building individualized response profiles, and applying vagal tank concepts directly to athlete monitoring.
  • Research Exchange: Over the afternoon, researchers and practitioners connected during vibrant oral and poster sessions featuring 16 presentations on recovery science and sports psychophysiology.
  • Keynote Lecture & Q&A: Prof. Laborde concluded the day with a deep dive into optimizing cardiac vagal functioning, unpacking how self-regulatory resources impact performance under pressure.

Thank you to everyone who presented, joined the discussions, and contributed to such a dynamic exchange of science and practice.

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Understanding the Vagal Tank Theory

At its core, the Vagal Tank Theory (Laborde et al., 2018) offers a dynamic framework for how our autonomic nervous system - specifically cardiac vagal activity indexed by heart rate variability (HRV) - manages self-regulatory resources under stress. Think of your parasympathetic control as a central fuel tank that powers physical, emotional, and cognitive demands. The model shifts the focus from simple baseline snapshots to a three-dimensional view of autonomic regulation:


  • Resting (Baseline): Your initial fuel level, reflecting overall adaptability, health, and baseline readiness.
  • Reactivity (Depletion): The deliberate "releasing of the vagal brake" to mobilize energy when encountering acute physical or psychological stressors.
  • Recovery (Replenishment): How efficiently your body restores its vagal resources post-effort, whether through natural parasympathetic reactivation or active interventions like slow-paced breathing.

By tracking how this inner reservoir drains and refills across these three stages, athletes and practitioners gain actionable insights into stress adaptability, overtraining risks, and targeted recovery strategies.

Vagal tank and the 3 Rs of cardiac vagal control: effect of a depleting factor. Illustration of the vagal tank and the three Rs (resting, reactivity, and recovery) with a factor depleting cardiac vagal control. In regards to the post-event: A – displays a situation where the level of carrdiac vagal control during the post-event is higher than the initial level at baseline, B – displays a situation where the level of cardiac vagal control at post-event is similar to the initial level at baseline, and C – displays a situation where the level of cardiac vagal control at post-event did not recover to the point of its initial baseline level.

Vagal tank and the 3 Rs of cardiac vagal control: effect of a replenishing factor. Illustration of the vagal tank and the three Rs (resting, reactivity, and recovery) with a factor replenishing cardiac vagal control. In regards to the post-event: A – displays a situation where the level of cardiac vagal control during the post-event is higher than the level during the baseline, B – displays a situation where the level of cardiac vagal control at post-event is similar to the event level, and C – displays a situation where the level of cardiac vagal control at post-event returned to baseline level.


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HRV Challenge - Test your HRV knowledge!


1. What does the Vagal Tank Theory use as a core metaphor to explain how our body manages stress and self-regulation?

A) An electrical circuit that trips when overloaded by stress.

B) A fuel tank that drains during stress and refills during recovery.

C) A muscle that grows stronger only through constant high-intensity exertion.


2. Within the framework of the Vagal Tank Theory, what constitutes an adaptive Reactivity response to an acute high-energy stressor?

A) A rapid increase in cardiac vagal activity to suppress heart rate.

B) The swift depletion of vagal resources by releasing the "vagal brake" to mobilize energy.

C) Complete inhibition of sympathetic output to maintain high baseline HRV.


3. What key dynamic advantage does the "Three Rs" framework (Resting, Reactivity, Recovery) offer over traditional resting-only HRV assessments?

A) It captures autonomic regulation as a full cycle of baseline capacity, stress response, and replenishment efficiency.

B) It replaces autonomic measures with metabolic biomarkers like blood lactate.

C) It demonstrates that HRV naturally peaks during high-intensity physical exertion.

Find the answers down below.


Continuing Education at the German Sports University Cologne

Scientifically grounded, practice-oriented continuing education in sport

  • Interested in the work of HRV LABorde and would like to meet us?
  • Join one of our in-person or online workshops to explore evidence-based approaches to breathing techniques, heart rate variability, and emotional intelligence.
  • Looking for a format tailored to the need of your institution or company?
  • We would be pleased to develop a program that fits your needs.

Contact us directly through our website.


Upcoming workshops in 2026

  • Breathing Techniques - Evidence-Based Applications for Sport, Therapy, and Daily Life (In-Person Seminar) ðŸ‡¬ðŸ‡§

  • Breathing Techniques - Evidence-Based Applications for Sport, Therapy, and Daily Life (Online Seminar)📱🇬🇧


  • Emotionale Intelligenz in Sport und Beruf (In-Person Seminar) 🇩🇪

  • Emotionale Intelligenz in Sport und Beruf (Online Seminar) 📱🇩🇪


  • Herzratenvariabilität (HRV) im Sport und Gesundheitsmanagement (In-Person Seminar) 🇩🇪

  • Herzratenvariabilität (HRV) im Sport und Gesundheitsmanagement (Online Seminar) 📱🇩🇪

  • Heart rate variability (HRV) in sports and health management (In-Person Seminar) 🇬🇧

  • Heart rate variability (HRV) in sports and health management (Online Seminar)📱🇬🇧


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📰 Featured Article - Vagal Tank Theory: The Three Rs of Cardiac Vagal Control Functioning – Resting, Reactivity, and Recovery

Read the full article here → https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2018.00458


Thank you for being part of the HRV LABorde community.

We look forward to sharing more evidence-based insights on heart rate variability, breathing science and performance psychophysiology in next month's edition.


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answers

1. B

Explanation:

The theory uses the "vagal tank" metaphor to depict self-regulatory resources as a fuel reservoir managed by the vagus nerve - draining during acute stressors (releasing the vagal brake) and refilling during recovery.

2. B

Explanation:

According to the theory, rapid vagal withdrawal (releasing the vagal brake) during high-demand situations is adaptive because it frees up physical and cognitive energy to handle the stressor.

3. A

Explanation:

While earlier models focused primarily on static baseline (resting) values, the Three Rs provide a holistic, dynamic view by accounting for how the system responds to acute stressors and recovers post-event.


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author: Antonia Plagge