Acute effects of repeated cycling sprints in hypoxia induced by voluntary hypoventilation

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the acute responses to repeated-sprint exercise (RSE) in hypoxia induced by voluntary hypoventilation at low lung volume (VHL).

Methods

Nine well-trained subjects performed two sets of eight 6-s sprints on a cycle ergometer followed by 24 s of inactive recovery. RSE was randomly carried out either with normal breathing (RSN) or with VHL (RSH-VHL). Peak (PPO) and mean power output (MPO) of each sprint were measured. Arterial oxygen saturation, heart rate (HR), gas exchange and muscle concentrations of oxy-([O₂Hb]) and deoxyhaemoglobin/myoglobin ([HHb]) were continuously recorded throughout exercise. Blood lactate concentration ([La]) was measured at the end of the first (S1) and second set (S2).

Results

There was no difference in PPO and MPO between conditions in all sprints. Arterial oxygen saturation (87.7 ± 3.6 vs 96.9 ± 1.8% at the last sprint) and HR were lower in RSH-VHL than in RSN during most part of exercise. The changes in [O₂Hb] and [HHb] were greater in RSH-VHL at S2. Oxygen uptake was significantly higher in RSH-VHL than in RSN during the recovery periods following sprints at S2 (3.02 ± 0.4 vs 2.67 ± 0.5 L min⁻¹ on average) whereas [La] was lower in RSH-VHL at the end of exercise (10.3 ± 2.9 vs 13.8 ± 3.5 mmol.L⁻¹; p < 0.01).

Conclusions

This study shows that performing RSE with VHL led to larger arterial and muscle deoxygenation than with normal breathing while maintaining similar power output. This kind of exercise may be worth using for performing repeated sprint training in hypoxia.

from Physiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2itBEPn
via IFTTT