Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption in untrained males: effects of intermittent durations of arm ergometry

The purpose of this study was to investigate excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) following a continuous 30 min bout of upper-body exercise (UBE) compared with 3 consecutive 10 min bouts of UBE. Ten male subjects (age (mean +/- standard deviation), 25.7 +/- 5.83 years; arm VO(2) (peak), 2.2 +/- 0.25 L x min(-1), on separate days (48 h between trials) and in counterbalanced order, performed a continuous 30 min bout of arm exercise at 60% of arm VO2 peak and 3 separate 10 min bouts of arm exercise at 60% of arm VO(2) (peak). Subjects reported to the laboratory rested and after a 12 h fast. Each test was preceded by a 30 min baseline test to determine resting metabolic rate. Post-exercise VO2 was continuously monitored until baseline was re-established. Results showed that the combined magnitude of the EPOCs from the intermittent exercise sessions was significantly (p > .05) greater (4.47 +/- 1.58 L O2) than that elicited from the continuous exercise session (1.54 +/- 1.25 L O2). These data indicate that separating a continuous 30 min arm exercise into 3 equal 10 min arm exercises will elicit a small but significantly higher EPOC, and thus result in greater post-exercise energy expenditure. This could be beneficial for those unable to perform lower-body exercise (LBE), or for those with limited exercise capacities.