Oxygen uptake kinetics in trained athletes differing in $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}} }$$

SummaryPrevious work has shown that when $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$$ kinetics are compared for endurance trained athletes and untrained subjects, the highly trained athletes have a faster response time. However, it remains to be determined whether the more rapid adjustment of $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$$ toward steady state in athletes is due to $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}} }$$ differences or training adaptation alone. One approach to this problem is to study the time course of $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$$ kinetics at the onset of work in athletes who differ in $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}} }$$ but have similar training habits. Therefore, the purpose of these experiments was to compare the time course of $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$$ kinetics at the onset of exercise in athletes with similar training routines but who differ in $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}} }$$ . Ten subjects ( $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}} }$$ range 50–70 ml · kg−1 · min−1) performed 6-minutes of cycle ergometer exercise at ∼50% $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}} }$$ . Ventilation and gas exchange were monitored by open circuit techniques. The data were modeled with a single component exponential function incorporating a time delay, (TD); $$\Delta \dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2}}f} } = \Delta \dot V_{{\text{O}}_{2ss} } {\text{ (1}} - e^{ - t - T_D /_{\tau )} }$$ , where Τ is the time constant $$\Delta \dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2}}f} }$$ is the increase in $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$$ at time t and $$\Delta \dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2ss}}} }$$ is the steady-rate increment above resting $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$$ . Kinetic analysis revealed a range of $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$$ half times from 21.6 to 36.0 s across subjects with a correlation coefficient of r=−0.80 (p<0.05) between $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}} }$$ and $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$$ half time. These data suggest that in highly trained indicivuals with similar training habits, those with a higher $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{{\text{2max}}} }$$ achieve a more rapid $$\dot V_{{\text{O}}_{\text{2}} }$$ adjustment at the onset of work.