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Anaerobic threshold alterations caused by endurance training in middle-aged men
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1979
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Physical ActivityFitnessHigh-intensity Interval TrainingAerobic ExerciseEndurance TrainingEducationKinesiologyExercisePhysical ExerciseApplied PhysiologyAbsolute Vo2Sport PhysiologyHealth SciencesPhysical FitnessHuman PhysiologyExercise ScienceCycle Ergometer TestsPhysiologyExercise PhysiologyPulmonary PhysiologyVo2 Max
Nine sedentary middle‑aged men completed a 9‑week, 45‑minute‑per‑day cycling endurance program (≈4.1 sessions per week) while seven controls remained inactive; pre‑ and post‑training, all subjects performed three cycle‑ergometer tests—two incremental to volitional fatigue and one constant‑load at VO2 just below the pre‑training anaerobic threshold. After training, the anaerobic threshold rose 44 % in absolute VO₂ (15 % relative to VO₂max), VO₂max increased 25 %, maximal ventilation 19 %, and maximal work rate 28 %, while steady‑state VO₂ remained unchanged but CO₂ output, ventilation, respiratory quotient, and VE/VO₂ decreased; controls showed no changes, confirming that endurance training markedly elevates the anaerobic threshold in sedentary middle‑aged men.
Nine previously sedentary middle-aged males underwent cycle endurance training 45 min/day for 9 wk with an average attendance of 4.1 days/wk. Seven males served as controls. Before and after the training period, the subjects performed three cycle ergometer tests. Work rate was incremented by 15 W/min, to the limit of the subjects' tolerance, in the first two tests; the third test consisted of contant-load cycling at an O2 uptake (VO2) just below the pretraining anaerobic threshold (AT). After training, the AT increased significantly by 44%, expressed as absolute VO2, and by 15%, expressed relative to VO2 max. Significant increases were also noted in VO2max (25%), maximal minute ventilation (19%), and maximal work rate (28%). The test-retest correlation coefficients for the AT (%VO2max) were 0.91, pre- and posttraining. Training did not alter steady-state VO2 during the submaximal exercise test whereas significant decreases occurred in CO2 output, VE, respiratory quotient, and VE/VO2. No changes occurred in the control subjects during this period. These results demonstrate that the AT is profoundly influenced by endurance training in previously sedentary middle-aged males.