A 350-S Recovery Period Does Not Necessarily Allow Complete Recovery of Peak Power Output during Repeated Cycling Sprints

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether a 350-s recovery period allows recovery of peak power output (PPO) to its initial value under the condition of a blood lactate (La) concentration higher than 10 mmol.L-1 during repeated cycling sprints (RCS). RCS (10x10-s cycling sprints) were performed under two conditions. Under one condition, the recovery period of RCS was fixed at 35 s (RCS35), and under the other condition, a 350-s recovery period was set before the 5th and 9th sets, and a 35-s recovery period was set before the other sets (RCScomb). In RCScomb, PPO in the 5th set recovered to that in the 1st set, but PPO in the 9th set did not. Under both conditions, blood La concentration progressively increased and reached approximately 14 mmol.L-1 at the end of the RCS. In RCScomb, VO2 immediately before the 5th set was not significantly different from that immediately before the 9th set. Mean power frequency (MPF) values estimated by a surface electromyogram from the vastus lateralis in the 5th and 9th sets were significantly higher in RCScomb than in RCS35. In conclusion, a 350-s recovery period does not allow recovery of PPO to its initial value under the condition of a blood La concentration of 14 mmol.L-1 during RCS.