Scholarly record

PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES AT THE VENTILATORY THRESHOLD OF RUNNERS AND RACE WALKERS DURING ANNUAL TRAINING CYCLE

C. Michalski, K. Stec, K. Pilis, A. Pilis, W. Pilis

Abstract

Introduction: Assessing various physiological parameters at the second ventilatory threshold (ATV2) is one of the ways of determining a person's cardiovascular fitness. The intensity of exercise that accompanies the reaching of ATV2 is sufficient to act as a training stimulus. The purpose of this paper is to assess whether a period of one yearВ’s sport specific training produced any metabolic, circulatory, and respiratory changes in athletics runners (AR) and race walkers (RW) when tested at a level of physical exertion corresponding to ATV2. Methods: At the start and end of the period of one year twelve subjects in each group, AR and RW, performed a cycloergometer test with increasing intensity, during which ATV2 was determined by the V-slope method. At ATV2 heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean blood pressure (MAP), pulse pressure (PP), rate-pressure product (RPP), and amount of oxygen uptake (VO2) were recorded and/or calculated. Results: The RW group reached ATV2 at lower absolute loads than the AR group, recording lower values of SBP (F=6.909; p<0.023), PP (F=9.957; p<0.009), and RPP (F=7.623; p<0.019). Both groups did not differ in relation to VO2 and %VO2max at the ATV2 level. There was no indication that the one-year period of specialized training had affected the recorded variables of either group of athletes. Conclusion: Although the one-year long specialized training did not change physical fitness, it appears that race walking training has a more beneficial effect on the circulatory system than runnersВ’ training. It is possible that runnersВ’ training may be too intensive, and that at some stage in the athlete's development a load already equivalent to ATV2 may have had a destructive effect on the cardiovascular system, which subsequently becomes a factor limiting the athlete's physical performance.

Publication details

Back to publication list