The Significance Of The Aerobic And Anaerobic Thresholds For Performance And Training

The general purpose of this thesis was to examine the influence of different training programs on the Aerobic (AerT) and Anaerobic (AnT) thresholds, and on submaximal endurance performance.;From the first experiment, a 3-min, 30-W incremental cycle ergometer test was selected for the other experiments since it provided representative measures for all variables that were to be evaluated.;From a cross-sectional approach among 5 groups of subjects, the second experiment revealed that continuous endurance training (CT) appeared to augment relative AerT and AnT(\u27 )(%VO(,2)max) values compared to active non-runners and inactive subjects. High-intensity, interval training (IT) appeared to decrease AnT.;In the third experiment, expression of the intensity of performance rides relative to(\u27 )VO(,2)max, to AerT or to both thresholds did not appear to affect the inter-subject variability in time to fatigue (TF).;Expressing the active recovery intensity relative to AerT, rather than to(\u27 )VO(,2)max, decreased the individual variability in lactate removal rates in the fourth experiment. An optimal lactate removal rate was predicted at AerT-10%(\u27 )VO(,2)max.;For the fifth experiment, the effects of an 8-week CT or IT program were compared. AerT increased for group CT whereas no change was observed for IT. In contrast, AnT decreased for IT but CT did not change. The TF at 85%(\u27 )VO(,2)max increased for CT from 17 to 23 min but no change was noted for IT; these changes were related to the intensity of the exercise expressed relative to AnT.;From these studies, it was concluded that: (1) CT increases AerT; (2) IT decreases AnT; and (3) performance at submaximal exercise intensities is influenced by relative threshold values