Individual differences in post-exercise thermal comfort: A comparison between trained and untrained occupants under elevated air velocity

Occupants with different fitness levels often share sports facilities, yet their post-exercise thermal requirements remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated variations in physiological and subjective thermal responses between trained and untrained individuals in a warm environment, and further evaluated the cooling effectiveness of increased air velocity. Participants were assigned to two groups, each comprising 12 participants: untrained ordinary college students (OC) and trained sport college students (SC), who completed exercise sessions at moderate, high, and very high intensities. During recovery, thermal sensation votes (TSV) and thermal comfort votes (TCV) were obtained under both airflow and no-airflow conditions, while skin temperature ( T sk ), heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV) were continuously monitored. Relative to the OC, SC participants showed faster HR recovery, greater T sk reductions, lower TSV, and higher TCV. The OC selected higher air velocities (2.62–2.76 m/s), whereas the SC preferred lower velocities (2.36–2.51 m/s). Elevated air velocity accelerated HR and T sk recovery in both groups, with a greater TSV reduction in the SC. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis indicated that these differences were mainly determined by body composition, with body fat mass (BFM) affecting TSV and skeletal muscle percentage (SMP) explaining TCV variations, supporting personalized environmental control strategies in sports facilities.