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Conducting Maximal and Submaximal Endurance Exercise Testing to Measure Physiological and Biological Responses to Acute Exercise in Humans
Published on: October 17, 2018
Performance predicting factors in prolonged exhausting exercise of varying intensity
Glenn Björklund1, Sofia Pettersson, Erika Schagatay
1Department of Natural Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden. glenn.bjorklund@miun.se
European Journal of Applied Physiology
|December 23, 2006
Summary
The decrease in blood lactate levels after high-intensity cycling predicts endurance performance. This finding is crucial for training athletes in variable-intensity sports like road cycling.
Area of Science:
- Sports Physiology
- Exercise Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Endurance sports like road cycling feature variable intensity.
- Current laboratory tests often fail to replicate these fluctuating demands.
- Assessing physiological markers under variable intensity is crucial for performance prediction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prognostic value of heart rate (HR), lactate (La(-)), potassium (K(+)), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) during exhaustive cycling with a variable intensity protocol (VIP).
- To determine if physiological responses during a VIP can predict endurance performance.
Main Methods:
- Eight national-level cyclists underwent two tests: an incremental test for VO(2max) and a VIP.
- The VIP included alternating high-intensity (HI) and middle-intensity (MI) workloads.
- Continuous monitoring of VO(2) and HR, with periodic blood sampling for La(-), K(+), and RER.
Main Results:
- Significant increases in HR, La(-), K(+), and RER were observed during transitions from MI to HI workloads.
- Potassium and RER decreased after transitions from HI to MI workloads.
- A significant negative correlation was found between time to exhaustion and the decrease in La(-) during the first MI period (r = -0.714, P = 0.047).
- Time to exhaustion also correlated with lactate threshold (VO(2LT)) from the ramp test (r = 0.738, P = 0.037).
Conclusions:
- The magnitude of blood lactate decrease between high-intensity and subsequent middle-intensity exercise phases can predict performance in variable-intensity endurance exercise.
- Lactate dynamics during variable intensity exercise are a key indicator of endurance capacity.
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