Effects of aerobic work performed during recovery from exhausting work

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Abstract
The oxygen debt and the rate of lactate removal were determined in four physically fit men during recovery following exhausting runs on the treadmill. In one type of experiment the subjects rested throughout recovery, while in another they performed aerobic work for 35 or 50 min. immediately following the exhausting run and then rested. The results include a reduction of 1-2 liters in the oxygen debt and a substantial increase in the rate of lactate removal when aerobic work was performed during recovery following exhausting work as compared with values observed when the subjects rested during recovery. It is also significant that, following payment of the alactacid oxygen debt, the rate of removal of the respiratory oxygen debt per gram of lactate removed was different at different stages of recovery. The data suggest that a greater fraction of the lactate may have been utilized as fuel during the exercising recovery so that the proportion of lactate resynthesized to glycogen would be reduced and this would presumably reduce the oxygen debt.