Does Cerebral Blood Flow Limit Maximal Aerobic Power Output?

2011 ◽  
Vol 43 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Andrew W. Subudhi ◽  
J Tod Olin ◽  
Andrew C. Dimmen ◽  
Bengt Kayser ◽  
Robert C. Roach
Author(s):  
Arnaud Hays ◽  
Caroline Nicol ◽  
Denis Bertin ◽  
Romain Hardouin ◽  
Jeanick Brisswalter

Objectives: To identify relevant physiological, mechanical, and strength indices to improve the evaluation of elite mountain bike riders competing in the current Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) format. Methods: Considering the evolution of the XCO race format over the last decade, the present testing protocol adopted a battery of complementary laboratory cycling tests: a maximal aerobic consumption, a force–velocity test, and a multi-short-sprint test. A group of 33 elite-level XCO riders completed the entire testing protocol and at least 5 international competitions. Results: Very large correlations were found between the XCO performance and maximal aerobic power output (r = .78; P < .05), power at the second ventilation threshold (r = .83; P < .05), maximal pedaling force (r = .77; P < .05), and maximum power in the sixth sprint (r = .87; P < .05) of the multi-short-sprint test. A multiple regression model revealed that the normalized XCO performance was predicted at 89.2% (F3,29 = 89.507; r = .95; P < .001) by maximum power in the sixth sprint (β = 0.602; P < .001), maximal pedaling rate (β = 0.309; P < .001), and relative maximal aerobic power output (β = 0.329; P < .001). Discussion: Confirming our expectations, the current XCO performance was highly correlated with a series of physiological and mechanical parameters reflecting the high level of acyclic and intermittent solicitation of both aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways and the required qualities of maximal force and velocity. Conclusion: The combination of physiological, mechanical, and strength characteristics may thus improve the prediction of elite XCO cyclists’ performance. It seems of interest to evaluate the ability to repeatedly produce brief intensive efforts with short active recovery periods.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1243-1249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyril Granier ◽  
Chris R. Abbiss ◽  
Anaël Aubry ◽  
Yvon Vauchez ◽  
Sylvain Dorel ◽  
...  

Purpose: To characterize the physiological profiles of elite cross-country mountain-bike (XCO-MTB) cyclists and to examine their pacing and power-output (PO) distribution during international races. Methods: Over 2 competitive seasons, 8 male XCO-MTB cyclists (VO2max 79.9 [5.2] mL·min−1·kg−1, maximal aerobic power [MAP] 411 [18] W and 6.3 [0.4] W·kg−1) regularly undertook incremental tests to assess their PO and heart rate (HR) at first and second ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2) and at VO2max. During the same period, their PO, HR, speed, and cadence were recorded over 13 international races (total of 30 recorded files). Results: Mean PO, speed, cadence, and HR during the races were 283 (22) W (4.31 [0.32] W·kg−1, 68% [5%] MAP), 19.7 (2.1) km·h−1, 68 (8) rpm, and 172 (11) beats·min−1 (91% [2%] HRmax), respectively. The average times spent below 10% of MAP, between 10% of MAP and VT1, between VT1 and VT2, between VT2 and MAP, and above MAP were 25% (5%), 21% (4%), 13% (3%), 16% (3%), and 26% (5%), respectively. Both speed and PO decreased from the start loop to lap 1 before stabilizing until the end of the race.Conclusions: Elite off-road cyclists demonstrated typical values of world-class endurance cyclists with an excellent power-to-mass ratio. This study demonstrated that XCO-MTB races are performed at higher intensities than reported in previous research and are characterized by a fast start followed by an even pace.


2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 397-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iñigo Mujika

Age-related fitness declines in athletes can be due to both aging and detraining. Very little is known about the physiological and performance decline of professional cyclists after retirement from competition. To gain some insight into the aging and detraining process of elite cyclists, 5-time Tour de France winner and Olympic Champion Miguel Indurain performed a progressive cycle-ergometer test to exhaustion 14 y after retirement from professional cycling (age 46 y, body mass 92.2 kg). His maximal values were oxygen uptake 5.29 L/min (57.4 mL · kg−1 · min−1), aerobic power output 450 W (4.88 W/kg), heart rate 191 beats/min, blood lactate 11.2 mM. Values at the individual lactate threshold (ILT): 4.28 L/min (46.4 mL · kg−1 · min−1), 329 W (3.57 W/kg), 159 beats/min, 2.4 mM. Values at the 4-mM onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA): 4.68 L/min (50.8 mL · kg−1 · min−1), 369 W (4.00 W/kg), 170 beats/min. Average cycling gross efficiency between 100 and 350 W was 20.1%, with a peak value of 22.3% at 350 W. Delta efficiency was 27.04%. Absolute maximal oxygen uptake and aerobic power output declined by 12.4% and 15.2% per decade, whereas power output at ILT and OBLA declined by 19.8% and 19.2%. Larger declines in maximal and submaximal values relative to body mass (19.4–26.1%) indicate that body composition changed more than aerobic characteristics. Nevertheless, Indurain’s absolute maximal and submaximal oxygen uptake and power output still compare favorably with those exhibited by active professional cyclists.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 732-734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naroa Etxebarria ◽  
Shaun D’Auria ◽  
Judith M. Anson ◽  
David B. Pyne ◽  
Richard A. Ferguson

Purpose:The patterns of power output in the ~1-h cycle section of Olympic-distance triathlon races are not well documented. Here the authors establish a typical cycling-race profile derived from several International Triathlon Union elite-level draftinglegal triathlon races.Methods:The authors collated 12 different race power profiles from elite male triathletes (N = 5, age 25 ± 5 y, body mass 65.5 ± 5.6 kg; mean ± SD) during 7 international races. Power output was recorded using SRM cranks and analyzed with proprietary software.Results:The mean power output was 252 ± 33 W, or 3.9 ± 0.5 W/kg in relative terms, with a coefficient of variation of 71% ± 13%. Normalized power (power output an athlete could sustain if intensity were maintained constant without any variability) for the entire cycle section was 291 ± 29 W, or 40 ± 13 W higher than the actual mean power output. There were 34 ± 14 peaks of power output above 600 W and ~18% time spent at >100% of maximal aerobic power.Conclusion:Cycling during Olympic-distance triathlon, characterized by frequent and large power variations including repeat supramaximal efforts, equates to a higher workload than cycling at constant power.


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (5) ◽  
pp. E905-E911 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Utriainen ◽  
A. Holmang ◽  
P. Bjorntorp ◽  
S. Makimattila ◽  
A. Sovijarvi ◽  
...  

The response of limb blood flow to insulin is highly variable even in normal subjects. We examined whether physical fitness or differences in muscle morphology contribute to this variation. Maximal aerobic power, muscle fiber composition and capillarization, and the response of forearm glucose extraction and blood flow to a sequential hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (serum insulin 374 +/- 10, 816 +/- 23, and 2,768 +/- 78 pmol/l) were determined in 16 normal males (age 25 +/- 1 yr, body mass index 24 +/- 1 kg/m2). Maximal aerobic power correlated positively with the proportion of type I fibers (r = 0.67, P < 0.01) and negatively with the proportion of type IIb fibers (r = -0.73, P < 0.01). Fiber composition but not blood flow correlated significantly with forearm and whole body glucose uptake. All doses of insulin significantly increased forearm blood flow, maximally by 123 +/- 21%. The ratio of capillaries per fiber was significantly correlated with basal and insulin-stimulated blood flow (0.58∑ 0.76, P < 0.05∑0.01). Mean arterial blood pressure and the insulin∑induced increase in blood flow were inversely correlated (r = ∑0.59, P < 0.05). We conclude that variation in glucose extraction is significantly determined by muscle fiber composition, whereas variation in insulin-stimulated blood flow is closely associated with muscle capillarization.


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