Energy Cost and Energy Sources of Ball Routine in Rhythmic Gymnasts

The energy cost and the different energy sources of competitive rhythmic ball-routines were assessed in nine young elite rhythmic gymnasts (13 -- 16 years of age). The overall energy requirement of ball exercise (VO₂eq) was obtained by adding the amount of VO₂ during exercise above resting (VO₂ex) to the VO₂ up to the fast component of recovery (VO₂al) and to the energy equivalent of peak blood lactate accumulation (VO₂la^--) of recovery. The lactate (La) curve up to 25 minutes of recovery always showed La peaks at 3 min after exercise (4.0 ± 0.4 mmol/l) and values still above rest at 25 min (2.3 ± 0.5 mmol/l). Although ball routines were short in duration (90 s), the metabolic power requirement was 1.1 times higher than the subject's VšO₂max. The energy cost (VO₂eq) amounted to 81 ± 5ml · kg^--1. Higher fractions of VO₂eq were VO₂ex 49 % and VO₂al 42 %, while the remaining 9 % was due to VO₂la^--. The aerobic source resulted in the most utilized system due to the subjects' high VšO₂max (52.7 ml · kg^--1 · min^--1) and anaerobic threshold (LT = 84.4 %). The HR and the peak lactate values of ball routine were similar to the values recorded at LT step during treadmill test. Although the HR and VšO₂ values were significantly correlated (during pre-exercise, exercise, and fast recovery), the exercise intensity derived from HR Kanvonen method during ball routine did not correspond to the % of VšO₂max.

Key words:

Rhythmic gymnastics - aerobic power - blood lactate concentration - anaerobic threshold - energy sources

References

• 1 Alexander M JL, Boreskie S R, Law S. Heart rate response time and motion analysis of rhythmic sportive gymnastics.  J Human Movement Studies. 1987;  13 473-489
• 2 Alexander M JL. Physiological characteristics of elite and subelite rhythmic gymnasts.  J Human Movement Studies. 1991;  20 99-127
• 3 Burke E, Brush F. Physiological and anthropometric assessment of successful teenage female distance runners.  Res Q. 1979;  50 180-187
• 4 Case S, Fleck S, Koehler P. Physiological and performance characteristics of the 1979 US MRG team.  Internat gymnast. 1980;  26 4
• 5 Clarkson P M, Freedson P S, Keller B K, Carney D, Skrinar M. Maximal oxygen uptake, nutritional patterns and body composition of adolescent female ballet dancers.  Res Q Exerc Sport. 1985;  56 180-184
• 6 di Prampero P E. Energetics of muscular exercise.  Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol. 1981;  89 143-222
• 7 Federation Internationale de Gymnastique .Code de pointage gymnastique rhythmique sportive. Comité technique gymnastique rythmique sportive (F.I.G.) 1997: 23-56
• 8 Francescato M P, Talon T, di Prampero P E. Energy cost and energy sources in karate.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1995;  71 355-361
• 9 Gionet N, Babineau C, Brjant D. Physiological evaluation of elite Canadian rhythmic sportive gymnasts (RSG) (Abstract).  Can J Appl Sport Sci. 1986;  11 15
• 10 Heck H, Mader A, Hes G, Mucke S, Muller R, Hollmann W. Justification of the 4-mmol/l lactate threshold.  Int J Sports Med. 1985;  6 117-130
• 11 Karvonen J J, Kentala E, Mustalo O. The effects of training on heart rate.  An Med Exp Biol Fenn. 1957;  33 307-315
• 12 Kindermann W, Simon G, Keul J. The significance of the aerobic-anaerobic transition for the determination of work load intensities during endurance training.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1979;  42 25-34
• 13 Metra M, Raddino R, Dei Cas L, Visioli O. Assessment of peak oxygen consumption, lactate and ventilatory thresholds and correlation with resting and exercise hemodynamic data in chronic congestive heart failure.  Am J Cardiol. 1990;  65 1127-1133
• 14 Montgomery D L, Baudin P A. Blood lactate and heart rate response of young female during gymnastic routines.  J Sports Med. 1982;  22 358-365
• 15 Spriet L L. Anaerobic metabolism during high-intensity exercise. In: Hargreaves M (ed) Exercise Metabolism. Champaign, IL; Human Kinetics 1995: 13