The purpose of this study was to compare power output and ventilatory measurements between the steep ramp test (SR) and both the 30-second Wingate anaerobic (WAT) and standard cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 11 patients (7 males and 4 females) underwent spirometry, a CPET, WAT and SR test. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the differences between the peak work rate of the CPET (CPET_peak), SR (SR_peak), and the average power of the WAT (W_avg). The W_avg was higher than the SR_peak, which was higher than the CPET (231.2 ± 113.4, 156.8 ± 67.9, 65.9 ± 35.9, p>0.05 respectively). There were no differences found between the tests at end-exercise for inspiratory reserve volume (IRV), ventilation (V_E), and end-expiratory lung volume (EELV). Tidal volume (V_T) was also compared between the tests as a percentage of the inspiratory capacity (IC) remaining at end-exercise and no differences were found. The similarity between the ventilatory measures indicates a similar level of constraint, despite the large difference in work rates achieved, in all 3 tests. This shows that a standard CPET underestimates leg power in COPD patients, and the WAT and SR may be better indicators of leg muscle power and anaerobic type exercise.

The purpose of this study was to compare power output and ventilatory measurements between the steep ramp test (SR) and both the 30-second Wingate anaerobic (WAT) and standard cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 11 patients (7 males and 4 females) underwent spirometry, a CPET, WAT and SR test. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the differences between the peak work rate of the CPET (CPET_peak), SR (SR_peak), and the average power of the WAT (W_avg). The W_avg was higher than the SR_peak, which was higher than the CPET (231.2 ± 113.4, 156.8 ± 67.9, 65.9 ± 35.9, p>0.05 respectively). There were no differences found between the tests at end-exercise for inspiratory reserve volume (IRV), ventilation (V_E), and end-expiratory lung volume (EELV). Tidal volume (V_T) was also compared between the tests as a percentage of the inspiratory capacity (IC) remaining at end-exercise and no differences were found. The similarity between the ventilatory measures indicates a similar level of constraint, despite the large difference in work rates achieved, in all 3 tests. This shows that a standard CPET underestimates leg power in COPD patients, and the WAT and SR may be better indicators of leg muscle power and anaerobic type exercise.

Background: The end-product of glycolysis is lactate, which is subsequently oxidised to produce more energy. With increasing intensity, the rate of lactate production exceeds the capacity to eliminate lactate, leading to an exponential accumulation of blood lactate. Clinicians use incremental graded exercise tests to induce this blood lactate curve. Two distinct thresholds can then be determined from the curve, of which the second threshold is highly correlated with competitive endurance performance. The exact threshold intensities depend on the threshold concept used as well as on variations in the test protocol. Aim: To evaluate how the Finnish lactate threshold concept is affected by using stage durations of 5 minutes instead of the recommended 3, and to determine how this affects the maximal oxygen uptake. Methods: Seven well-trained adults were recruited to perform two separate incremental graded exercise tests with 3- and 5-minute stages, respectively. Lactate thresholds were determined directly by blood lactate measurements and according to the instructions of the Finnish Society of Sport Sciences. Breath-by-breath gas exchange was measured throughout the tests.  Results: No significant differences occurred at the first lactate threshold. At the second lactate threshold, heart rate, oxygen uptake and blood lactate remained unchanged, while speed dropped (-0.81 ±0.81 km/h; p=0.037) when comparing the 5-minute protocol with the 3-minute protocol. Both protocols resulted in similar peak oxygen uptakes, while speed at peak oxygen uptake decreased (-1.07 ±0.89 km/h; p=0.015) for the 5-minute protocol. Conclusion: This study showed that the chosen stage duration does not affect the blood lactate at the first or second lactate threshold, while a longer stage duration does affect the work intensity corresponding to the second lactate threshold of the Finnish lactate threshold concept. As the work intensity at LT2 is often used to prescribe endurance training and to predict competitive endurance performance, these findings can be of interest to the endurance testing community. It enables an extended understanding when designing test protocols and when analysing the results of a lactate threshold test. This might in turn contribute to more accurate exercise intensity prescriptions and thereby faster development among endurance athletes. Further research with more subjects as well as research into the validity of the Finnish lactate threshold concept is recommended. / Bakgrund: Vid glykolys bildas laktat som biprodukt som sedan oxideras för att producera mera energi. Vid högre träningsintensitet produceras mer laktat i kroppen än kroppen hinner oxidera och därmed börjar laktat ackumuleras i blodet. Kliniskt används inkrementella träningstester för att framkalla en blodlaktatkurva. Vanligtvis bestäms två distinkta trösklar ur kurvan, av vilka den andra laktattröskeln är starkt korrelerad med uthållighetsprestation i tävlingssammanhang. Den exakta träningsintensiteten vid trösklarna beror på metoden som använts för att bestämma trösklarna ur blodlaktatkurvan samt variationer i testprotokollet. Syfte: Att bedöma hur den finska metoden för att bestämma laktattrösklarna påverkas då ett testprotokoll med 5-minutersnivåer används istället för de rekommenderade 3-minutersnivåerna, samt att bedöma hur detta påverkar den maximala syreupptagningsförmågan. Metoder: Sju vältränade vuxna utförde två separata inkrementella träningstester, med 3-minuters- respektive 5-minutersnivåer. Laktattrösklarna bestämdes med hjälp av blodlaktatmätningar och enligt instruktionerna av the Finnish Society of Sport Sciences. Försökspersonernas gasutbyte loggades under hela testernas gång.  Resultat: Inga signifikanta skillnader fanns vid första laktattröskeln. Vid den andra laktattröskeln var puls, syreupptagning och laktatnivå samma för båda protokollen, medan löphastigheten var lägre (-0.81 ±0.81 km/h; p=0.037) för 5-minutersprotokollet jämfört med 3-minutersprotokollet. Båda protokollen resulterade i liknande maximalt syreupptag, men löphastigheten vid maximalt syreupptag var lägre (-1.07 ±0.89 km/h; p=0.015) vid 5-minutersprotokollet.  Slutsatser: Studien visade att nivåernas varaktighet inte påverkade laktatvärdet vid första eller andra laktattröskeln, men att en längre nivålängd påverkar arbetsintensiteten vid den andra laktattröskeln då den finska metoden för att bestämma trösklarna används. Eftersom arbetsintensiteten vid den andra laktattröskeln ofta används för att förutse uthållighetsprestation i tävlingssammanhang samt för att ordinera arbetsintensitet för uthållighetsträning kan studien bidra med en värdefull förståelse för individer som jobbar med uthållighetstester. De kan utnyttja denna förståelse både då de utvecklar testprotokoll och då de analyserar resultat från tröskeltester. I längden kan detta leda till noggrannare ordineringar vad gäller arbetsintensitet och därmed en snabbare utveckling bland uthållighetsidrottare. Ytterligare forskning med fler försökspersoner samt forskning för att validera den finska metoden för att bestämma laktattrösklar behövs.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not differences exist in heart rate (HR) between jogging on the track and jogging on the treadmill at the same speed. Twenty-four college-age (19-31 years old) male (n = 12) and female (n = 12) recreational runners volunteered to participate in this study. Each participant performed a maximal graded exercise test (GXT) and four exercise sessions. During the first exercise session, participants completed a 1-mile steady-state jog on either the track or treadmill at a self-selected submaximal pace that could be maintained for 30 minutes. The following three exercise sessions were completed at the same pace as the first exercise session. Two of the exercise sessions were performed on the treadmill and two were performed on an indoor track. The order of the four sessions were counterbalanced. Participants were randomly assigned to an order of sessions. Heart rate was recorded every minute and the participants were asked to give an RPE at the end of every session. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in pace (mph) between the trials within the two track or two treadmill trials (p = 0.5812), in the HR response. Therefore, gender and trials were excluded from the final model, and the final model included only the treatment effect (track, treadmill). There was a significant treatment effect (F 1,94 = 39.126, p < 0.0001) indicating that significant differences in the HR responses between track and treadmill jogging at the same pace. Jogging on the treadmill elicited an average HR of 5.16 bpm (S.E. = 0.82) less than that observed while jogging on an indoor track at the same pace. We conclude that jogging on the treadmill and track at the same, self-selected speed results in HR values that differ significantly by 5 bpm. Differences in air resistance, biomechanics, and muscle activity most likely contributed to the observed differences in HR. The results of this study are applicable to various individuals who often train or exercise on the treadmill or overground. Use of a HR monitor is recommended to determine personal responses to exercise on a treadmill and overground.

To assess the relationships of body mass index (BMI) on arterial stiffness at rest and post-maximal treadmill graded exercise testing (GXT). Forty-four apparently healthy, young adult males (22.1 ± 0.48 years) were recruited and divided into either a healthy weight (H, ≤24.9 kg/m2), overweight (OV, 24.9-29.9 kg/m2) or obese (OB, ≥29.9 kg/m2) group based on BMI. All subjects underwent arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, cfPWV), blood pressure (BP), pulse pressure (PP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis, BIA) measurements at rest. Following the GXT, measures of arterial stiffness (cfPWV) and BP were acquired. Resting measures of cfPWV, BMI, systolic BP, diastolic BP, MAP, and PP were significantly (p <0.05) greater in OV and OB compared with H. Compared with OV, OB had a greater BMI. Relative peak oxygen consumption (VP2peak) was greater in H compared with OV and OB (p<0.05). systolic BP was positively associated, whereas VO2peak was inversely related to cfPWV (p<0.05). No significant inter-group interactions were observed with cfPWV after the GXT. However, interactions were observed for SBP, DBP and PP (p<0.05). In young men with varying BMI, SBP and VO2peak were associated with resting cfPWV. However, similar cardiovascular responses were observed between groups after a maximal GXT.

More than one-half of university students in the United States and Canada are not active enough to gain health benefits. Enjoyment of exercise proposes a feasible solution to the absence of motivation surrounding physical activity. The purpose of this study is to compare the differences in reported enjoyment between upper and lower body cycling graded exercise to exhaustion (GXT). Seven university students (23 ± 3 years old; 26 ± 4 kg/m2) performed two randomized graded exercise tests on different days: one for upper body, one for lower body. Feeling Scale (FS) measured the affective response during exercise. Post-exercise enjoyment values were recorded 15 minutes after concluding GXT using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), which has been shown to be a valid and reliable measure of physical activity enjoyment. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate mean differences between upper and lower body GXT enjoyment scores. Rank biserial correlations and Cohen's d values were used to evaluate effect size for the non-parametric and parametric analyses. Alpha level was set a priori at p < 0.05. Means and standard deviations were calculated for PACES, age, and BMI. No significant differences were found for enjoyment (p=0.162) between upper (104.3 ± 12.6) and lower-body cycling (97.8 ± 15.3). Notable effect sizes were found for the PACES Total and several subscales (Enjoy/Hate, Pleasant, and Contentment). No significant differences were found for the FS at ventilatory threshold (p=0.586) or at maximal aerobic power (p=0.670) between the upper and lower body GXT trials. More research is needed to explore exercise enjoyment across different exercise modes and provide a more particular evaluation of PACES subscales. Further research should aim to compare enjoyment levels across different physical activity levels (e.g., low, moderate, high), between sexes and within diverse populations.

O judô é um esporte de combate com características intermitentes, com alta demanda fisiológica. O desenvolvimento da potência aeróbia máxima em atletas de judô pode contribuir para a recuperação e a manutenção da intensidade dos esforços durante o combate, e para a recuperação entre os diferentes combates de uma competição. Em geral, a avaliação dessa capacidade física tem sido realizada por meio da aplicação de testes progressivos até a exaustão em esteira ou ciclo-ergômetro, os quais possuem baixa validade ecológica e não permitem a obtenção de parâmetros para a prescrição do treinamento específico da modalidade. Dessa forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi elaborar e testar a validade, reprodutibilidade e sensibilidade de um teste progressivo até a exaustão utilizando-se do uchi-komi (entrada de golpes), para mensurar a potência aeróbia máxima de atletas de judô. Doze atletas de judô do sexo masculino participaram desse estudo e foram submetidos a quatro sessões de avaliação, em dias distintos e, separadas por um intervalo de, no mínimo, 48 horas, exceto para a última sessão, que foi conduzido sete dias após a realização da terceira sessão. Para determinar a validade de critério, foram conduzidos três testes progressivos até a exaustão: teste de membros superiores (MMSSteste), membros inferiores (MMIIteste) e teste de uchi-komi (UKteste), os quais foram aleatorizados e distribuídos entre a primeira e a segunda sessões. Na etapa seguinte os mesmos atletas foram avaliados na terceira e quarta sessões para determinar a reprodutibilidade do UKteste. Além disso, também foi confirmado se os atletas alcançaram o verdadeiro consumo máximo de oxigênio, por meio de um teste de confirmação (UKconf). Para essa finalidade, 12 atletas de judô, incluindo 6 atletas que participaram do estudo de validade e reprodutibilidade, realizaram dois testes (UKteste e UKconf), separados por um intervalo de 20 minutos. A análise descritiva de todas as variáveis dependentes foi apresentada como média e desvio padrão. A validade do UKteste foi determinado por intermédio de uma análise de variância a um fator (tipo de teste) pela comparação do UKteste, MMSSteste e MMIIteste e pelo coeficiente de correlação de Pearson. Quando observada diferença significante, foi conduzido o teste de post-hoc de Bonferroni. A reprodutibilidade do UKteste foi determinada por meio do teste t de Student para dados pareados, coeficiente de correlação intraclasse (CCI), erro típico (ET) e ET como coeficiente de variação (CV). A sensibilidade do UKteste foi calculada pela menor variação detectável (MVD) para diferentes tamanho de efeito (0,2; 0,6 e 1,2 multiplicado pelo desvio padrão entre sujeitos) e classificados como marginal, médio, e bom, respectivamente. Além disso, a mínima mudança detectável (MMD) em uma dada variável foi calculada por meio da equação: ET x 1,96 * ?2. O nível de significância foi estabelecido em p < 0,05. A validade do UKteste foi confirmado pelo coeficiente de correlação de Pearson com valores de consumo pico de oxigênio (V? O2pico) classificados como quase perfeita. Não houve diferença nas variáveis mensuradas no UKteste e UKconf, além disso, os resultados mostraram que o UKteste possui boa reprodutibilidade relativa com CCI classificado como muito alta para a percepção subjetiva de esforço e quase perfeita CCI para o V? O2pico, frequência cardíaca máxima e intensidade aeróbia máxima. Adicionalmente, o teste apresentou boa reprodutibilidade absoluta, apresentando um ET como CV menor que 5%. Variações médias no tamanho do efeito podem ser adequadamente detectadas para o V? O2pico, intensidade aeróbia máxima e frequência cardíaca máxima. Em conclusão, o UKteste mostrou ser um teste válido e reprodutível para avaliar a potência aeróbia máxima de atletas de judô / Judo is a combat sport with intermittent characteristics and high physiological demand. The development of maximal aerobic power in judo athletes can contribute to the recovery and maintenance of efforts intensity during a combat, and to the recovery between different combats in a competition. In general, the evaluation of this physical capacity has been performed through the application of graded exercise tests in treadmill or cycle ergometer, which have low ecological validity, and do not enable the collection of parameters for specific training prescription to the modality. Thus, the objective of this study was to elaborate and test the validity, reliability and usefulness of a graded exercise tests using uchi-komi (repetition training), to measure the maximal aerobic power of judo athletes. Twelve male judo athletes participated in this study. They were submitted to 4 assessment sessions on different days separated by at least 48 hours, except in the last session which was performed 7 days after the 3rd session. In order to determine the criterion validity, 3 graded exercise tests were performed: upperbody (UBtest), lower-body cycle ergometer tests (LBtest) and uchi-komi (UKtest), which were randomized and distributed between 1st and 2nd sessions. In the next step, the same athletes were evaluated in the 3rd and 4th sessions to determine the reliability of the UKtest. Further, it was also confirmed whether athletes achieved true maximum oxygen uptake through a confirmation test (UKconf). For this purpose, 12 judo athletes, including 6 athletes who participated in the validity and reliability studies, performed 2 tests (UKtest and UKconf), separated by a 20-minute interval. The descriptive analysis of all dependent variables was presented by mean and standard deviations. The validity of the UKtest was determined through a one-way analysis of variance (test type), comparing the UKtest, UBtest and LBtest, and by the Pearson correlation coefficient. When a significant difference was observed, the Bonferroni post-hoc test was conducted. The UKtest reliability was determined by the test-retest comparison, using Student\'s t-test for paired data, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and typical error (TE) as coefficient of variation (CV). The UKtest usefulness was calculated by the smallest worthwhile change (SWC) for different effect sizes (0.2, 0.6 and 1.2 multiplied by the standard deviation among subjects) and classified as marginal, average and good, respectively. In addition, the minimal detectable change (MDC) in each variable was calculated using the equation: TE × 1,96 × ?2. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. The validity of the UKtest was confirmed by the Pearsom correlation coefficient with values of peak oxygen consumption (V? O2peak) classified as nearly perfect. There were no differences between variables measured in the UKtest and in the UKconf. Also, results showed that the UKtest had good relative reliability, with ICC classified as very large (rated perceived exertion) and almost perfect (V? O2peak, maximal heart rate and maximum aerobic intensity). Moreover, the test presented good absolute reliability, with a TE as CV lower than 5%. Mean variations in effect size could be adequately detected for V? O2peak, maximal aerobic intensity and maximal heart rate. In conclusion, the UKtest proved to be a valid and reliable test to evaluate the maximal aerobic power of judo athletes