VENTILATORY THRESHOLD AND MAXIMAL OXYGEN-UPTAKE DURING CYCLING AND RUNNING IN TRIATHLETES

  • 1 April 1990
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 22  (2) , 257-264
Abstract
.ovrhdot.VO2max and the ventilatory threshold (Tvent) were measured during cycle ergometry (CE) and treadmill running (TR) in a group of 10 highly trained male triathletes. Tvent was indicated as the .ovrhdot.VO2 at which the ventilatory equivalent for oxygen increased without a marked rise in the ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide. Triathletes achieved a significantly higher .ovrhdot.VO2max for TR (75.4 .+-. 7.3 ml .cntdot. kg-1 .cntdot. min-1) than for CE (70.3 .+-. 6.0 ml .cntdot. kg-1 .cntdot. min-1). Mean CE .ovrhdot.VO2max was 93.2% of the TR value. Average .ovrhdot.VO2max values for CE and TR compared favorably with values reported for elite single-sport athletes and were greater than those previously reported for other male triathletes. CE Tvent occurred at 3.37 .+-. 0.321 .cntdot. min-1 or 66.8 .+-. 3.7% of CE .ovrhdot.VO2max, while TR Tvent was detected at 3.87 .+-. 0.331 .cntdot. min-1 or 71.9 .+-. 6.6% of TR .ovrhdot.VO2max. The .ovrhdot.VO2 (l .cntdot. min-1) at which T vent occurred for TR was significantly higher than for CE (P < 0.001). Although the .ovrhdot.VO2 values at TR Tvent expressed as a percentage of .ovrhdot.VO2max were consistently higher than for CE, the difference between the means did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). The average Tvent for CE (as % .ovrhdot.VO2max) was nearly identical to Tvent values reported in the literature for competitive male cyclists, whereas TR Tvent was lower than recently reported values for elite distance runners and marathoners. We speculate that triathlon training results in general (cross-training) adaptations which enhance maximal oxygen uptake values, whereas anaerobic threshold adaptations occur primarily in the specific muscle groups utilized in training.

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