Ventilatory threshold and work efficiency during exercise on cycle and paddling ergometers in young female kayakists

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of increasing specific (paddling ergometer) and non-specific (cycle ergometer) exercise on parameters relating to the ventilatory threshold (Th(vent)) and work efficiency in 11 young female flat-water kayakists. When these trained subjects were tested using non-specific workloads, their oxygen uptake (VO2) values at Th(vent), as a percentage of VO2max (%VO2max), were close to those of untrained subjects [74.2 (5.6) % VO2max, mean (SD)]. However, when we tested the same subjects using specific exercise, we recorded values typical of highly trained athletes [84.8 (4.7) % VO2max). For the non-specific exercise on the cycle ergometer, we recorded work efficiency values close to those of untrained subjects [22.3 (2.5) %]; however, for the specific exercise on the paddling ergometer, we recorded much lower values [13.4 (3.0) %] both at the level of Th(vent). The work efficiency at two warm-up submaximal exercise loads on the paddling ergometer was non-significantly lower than values at Th(vent) [12.3 (2.8) % and 12.9 (2.9) % respectively]. Significant correlations were found between maximal-performance VO2 (ml.kg-1.min-1) and performance at Th(vent) during paddling and race performance (0.623, 0.630 and 0.648 respectively, all P < 0.05). Because the results of both specific and non-specific submaximal exercise tests are different, we suggest caution in the interpretation of physiological variables that may be sensitive to training status. The evaluation of Th(vent) and work efficiency as supplementary parameters during laboratory studies enables the determination of the effectiveness of the training process and the specific adaptation of the subjects.