The racer's edge: are faster sprints among the benefits of active recovery?active recovery from high-intensity intermittent intermittent /in·ter·mit·tent/ (-mit´ent) marked by alternating periods of activity and inactivity. in·ter·mit·tent adj. 1. Stopping and starting at intervals. 2. exercise (like interval running) has been shown to offer benefits that all-out rest between sprints does not offer. Generally, light exercise or even stretching is recommended over just standing and catching your breath. There are a number of reasons for this recommendation, including to avoid muscle stiffness and possibly injury on the next interval. Another is that an active recovery will help clear lactic acid lactic acid, CH3CHOHCO2H, a colorless liquid organic acid. It is miscible with water or ethanol. Lactic acid is a fermentation product of lactose (milk sugar); it is present in sour milk, koumiss, leban, yogurt, and cottage cheese. from the blood quicker than a passive recovery. Yet, though lactate Lactate A salt or ester of lactic acid (CH3CHOHCOOH). In lactates, the acidic hydrogen of the carboxyl group has been replaced by a metal or an organic radical. Lactates are optically active, with a chiral center at carbon 2. accumulation is associated with muscle fatigue, at least two studies have found that, during repeated sprints, a faster removal of blood lactate does not necessarily imply a faster recovery of performance. What is the mechanism in active recovery that leads coaches and trainers to conclude it is actually better for the next work bout's performance? In June, new research was published that specifically examined the role of three types of recovery in both aerobic aerobic /aer·o·bic/ (ar-o´bik) 1. having molecular oxygen present. 2. growing, living, or occurring in the presence of molecular oxygen. 3. requiring oxygen for respiration. 4. and anaerobic anaerobic /an·aer·o·bic/ (an?ah-ro´bik) 1. lacking molecular oxygen. 2. growing, living, or occurring in the absence of molecular oxygen; pertaining to an anaerobe. energy release. The researchers reasoned that if active recovery improves subsequent work bout performance, it must contribute to overall energy yield--either aerobically, anaerobically or both. Ten healthy students in their 20s were tested to obtain their VO2max. Six weeks later, they each performed 4 work bouts Bouts is the name of
Situation in which a majority of participants trading in the same asset are either long or short, leaving few investors to take the other side of the transaction when participants wish to close their positions. (after approximately 2 minutes). These bouts were followed by 5-minute recoveries consisting of either pedaling at 20% VO2max, lower-body stretching or lying down, performed in random order across all subjects over 10 days. When the subjects pedaled (active recovery) they performed 13% more work in subsequent intervals than when they laid down (passive recovery), and 9% more work than when they stretched. Active recovery also enhanced peak and mean VO2. Thus active recovery increased the aerobic contribution to the runners' energy yields. With active recovery, the total amount of oxygen consumed during the last three cycling work bouts was 23% and 19% greater than with passive and stretching, respectively. Furthermore, with active recovery, the contribution of aerobic metabolism metabolism, sum of all biochemical processes involved in life. Two subcategories of metabolism are anabolism, the building up of complex organic molecules from simpler precursors, and catabolism, the breakdown of complex substances into simpler molecules, often to overall energy yield was similar among all 4 work bouts. By contrast, the aerobic contribution to energy decreased by 6% with stretching and 8% with passive recovery. Interestingly, the study found no difference in anaerobic energy yield among active, stretching and passive recovery. The mechanism for enhanced work capacity in this small study of high-intensity intermittent exercise is clearly the aerobic contribution to overall energy yield. Though the magnitude of improvement is only between 3 and 4%, combined with the increased muscle blood flow and other benefits, active recovery is preferable. But more research examining faster recovery pace is necessary to help determine the point at which aerobic contributions are maximized for the next work bout while blood lactate levels are better attenuated Attenuated Alive but weakened; an attenuated microorganism can no longer produce disease. Mentioned in: Tuberculin Skin Test attenuated having undergone a process of attenuation. . The present study found that lactic acid did not clear out of the blood at an accelerated rate. The researchers are fairly certain that this was due to the slow pace of the recovery cycling. Some researchers have put the ideal pace for clearing blood lactate at 30% VO2max, others as high as 70%. There is a limit to how fast a recovery can be before it compromises the next work bout's performance. A 2003 study found that recovery runs at 50% maximal aerobic speed were a detriment Any loss or harm to a person or property; relinquishment of a legal right, benefit, or something of value. Detriment is most frequently applied to contract formation, since it is an essential element of consideration, which is a prerequisite of a legally enforceable contract. to performance as compared to passive recovery. In this 2004 study, however, the best performance occurred with active recovery, despite its failure to reduce blood lactate. This further illustrates that there is an ideal intensity for each specific goal. In competition where maximal max·i·mal adj. 1. Of, relating to, or consisting of a maximum. 2. Being the greatest or highest possible. intermittent work bouts are called for, it appears desirable to recover at a slow jog between 20 to 30% VO2max for optimal performance in subsequent intervals. (Can. J. Appl. Physiol., 2004, Vol. 29, No. 3, pp. 227-244; Eur. J. Appl. Physiol., 2003, Vol. 89, No. 6, pp. 548-554) |
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