Abstract
We investigated the effects of a training program on the aerobic aptitudes and
the relevance of the instant of equality of pulmonary gas exchange (i. e., RER
= 1.00) to assess these effects in professional basketball players. Eight athletes
performed two incremental exercise tests on a cycloergometer separated by
4.7 ± 0.7 months. Physiological variables recorded during these two tests (heart
rate, oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide output, respiratory exchange ratio, power
output) allowed to determine the first and second ventilatory thresholds and the
instant of equality of pulmonary gas exchange. The training program induced significant
variations of resting heart rate, oxygen uptake and power output measured for
the instant of equality of pulmonary gas exchange. Moreover, the used fractions
of heart rate, oxygen uptake and power reserves for the instant of equality of
pulmonary gas exchange and the second ventilatory threshold increase significantly.
Inversely, maximal oxygen uptake, maximal power reached and the used fractions
of reserves for the first ventilatory threshold do not differ significantly. Professional
basketball training is not focused on drills aiming to enhance both the aerobic
power and aptitude, our results suggest that this training program induce the
same physiological changes as a typical aerobic training. We also demonstrated
that the instant of equality of pulmonary gas exchange is a powerful tool to
quantify the changes in aerobic aptitudes during a sport season.
Key words
Training - physical endurance - ventilatory thresholds - respiratory exchange ratio
References
2 reserve, not to %V·O2 max.
Med Sci Sports Exerc.
1997;
29
410-414
david.laplaud@internet.fr
