A longitudinal study on the interchangeable use of whole-body and local exercise thresholds in cycling

This study longitudinally examined the interchangeable use of critical power (CP), the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) and the respiratory compensation point (RCP) (i.e., whole-body thresholds), and breakpoints in muscle deoxygenation (m[HHb]_BP) and muscle activity (iEMG_BP) (i.e., local thresholds).

Twenty-one participants were tested on two timepoints (T1 and T2) with a 4-week period (study 1: 10 women, age = 27 ± 3 years, [Formula: see text] = 43.2 ± 7.3 mL min^-1kg^-1) or a 12-week period (study 2: 11 men, age = 25 ± 4 years, [Formula: see text] = 47.7 ± 5.9 mL min^-1 kg^-1) in between. The test battery included one ramp incremental test (to determine RCP, m[HHb]_BP and iEMG_BP) and a series of (sub)maximal constant load tests (to determine CP and MLSS). All thresholds were expressed as oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) and equivalent power output (PO) for comparison.

None of the thresholds were significantly different in study 1 ([Formula: see text]: P = 0.143, PO: P = 0.281), but differences between whole-body and local thresholds were observed in study 2 ([Formula: see text]: P < 0.001, PO: P = 0.024). Whole-body thresholds showed better 4-week test-retest reliability (TEM = 88-125 mL min^-1 or 6-10 W, ICC = 0.94-0.98) compared to local thresholds (TEM = 189-195 mL min^-1 or 15-18 W, ICC = 0.58-0.89). All five thresholds were strongly associated at T1 and T2 (r = 0.75-0.99), but their changes from T1 to T2 were mostly uncorrelated (r = - 0.41-0.83).

Whole-body thresholds (CP/MLSS/RCP) showed a close and consistent coherence taking into account a 3-6%-bandwidth of typical variation. In contrast, local thresholds (m[HHb]_BP/iEMG_BP) were characterized by higher variability and did not consistently coincide with the whole-body thresholds. In addition, we found that most thresholds evolved independently of each other over time. Together, these results do not justify the interchangeable use of whole-body and local exercise thresholds in practice.