Abstract
PurposeThis study examined the relationship of physiological and anthropometric characteristics with parameters of the critical power (CP) model, and in particular the reconstitution of W′ following successive bouts of maximal exercise, amongst trained and untrained cyclists.MethodsTwenty male adults (trained nine; untrained 11; age 39 ± 15 year; mass 74.7 ± 8.7 kg; V̇O2max 58.0 ± 8.7 mL kg−1 min−1) completed three incremental ramps (20 W min−1) to exhaustion interspersed with 2-min recoveries. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to assess relationships for W′ reconstitution after the first recovery (W′rec1), the delta in W′ reconstituted between recoveries (∆W′rec), CP and W′.ResultsCP was strongly related to V̇O2max for both trained (r = 0.82) and untrained participants (r = 0.71), whereas W′ was related to V̇O2max when both groups were considered together (r = 0.54). W′rec1 was strongly related to V̇O2max for the trained (r = 0.81) but not untrained (r = 0.18); similarly, ∆W′rec was strongly related to V̇O2max (r = − 0.85) and CP (r = − 0.71) in the trained group only.ConclusionsNotable physiological relationships between parameters of aerobic fitness and the measurements of W′ reconstitution were observed, which differed among groups. The amount of W′ reconstitution and the maintenance of W′ reconstitution that occurred with repeated bouts of maximal exercise were found to be related to key measures of aerobic fitness such as CP and V̇O2max. This data demonstrates that trained cyclists wishing to improve their rate of W′ reconstitution following repeated efforts should focus training on improving key aspects of aerobic fitness such as V̇O2max and CP.
Highlights
Communicated by Guido Ferretti.The two-parameter critical power model formulated by Monod and Scherrer (1965) describes how the hyperbolic relationship between power output and time to exhaustion in the ‘severe’ intensity domain is comprised of the parameters; critical power (CP) and the finite capacity of work available during exercise above CP, known as W′ (Jones and Vanhatalo 2017)
In the context of cycling most forms of races from track cycling team pursuits to Grand-Tour stages are characterised by intermittent efforts within the severe intensity domain interspersed with periods below CP (Craig and Norton 2001; Vogt et al 2007) which allows partial or complete reconstitution of W′ depending on the recovery duration (Chidnok et al 2013a)
This is expressed within the exponential mathematical function describing W′ reconstitution kinetics by the positive relationships between τ and W′, such a moderating effect of W′ on its reconstitution suggests that W′ reconstitution kinetics are a factor of both time and W′, supporting their inclusion in the W′ balance model by Skiba et al (2012)
Summary
The two-parameter critical power model formulated by Monod and Scherrer (1965) describes how the hyperbolic relationship between power output and time to exhaustion in the ‘severe’ intensity domain is comprised of the parameters; critical power (CP) and the finite capacity of work available during exercise above CP, known as W′ (Jones and Vanhatalo 2017). The severe intensity domain is characterised by an. CP marks the boundary between the heavy and severe intensity domains (Jones et al 2019), below which homeostasis is achieved, albeit with a delayed metabolic steady-state and elevated blood lactate [BLa−] relative to baseline values. Known values of CP and W′ can be used to predict time to exhaustion in the severe intensity domain (Jones and Vanhatalo 2017). In the context of cycling most forms of races from track cycling team pursuits to Grand-Tour stages are characterised by intermittent efforts within the severe intensity domain interspersed with periods below CP (Craig and Norton 2001; Vogt et al 2007) which allows partial or complete reconstitution of W′ depending on the recovery duration (Chidnok et al 2013a)
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