Resumen de Effects of Pacing Strategy on Work Done above Critical Power during High-Intensity Exercise.
Weerapong Chidnok, Andrew M. Jones, Fred J. Dimenna, Daryl P. Wilkerson, Stephen J. Bailey, Anni Vanhatalo
AB Purpose: We investigated the influence of pacing strategy on the work completed above critical power (CP) before exhaustion (W>CP) and the peak V[spacing dot above]O2 attained during high-intensity cycling. Methods: After the determination of V[spacing dot above]O2max from a ramp incremental cycling (INC) test and the estimation of the parameters of the power-duration relationship for high-intensity exercise (i.e., CP and W') from a 3-min all-out cycling test (AOT), eight male subjects completed a cycle test to exhaustion at a severe-intensity constant work rate (CWR) estimated to result in exhaustion in 3 min and a self-paced 3-min cycling time trial (SPT). Results: The V[spacing dot above]O2max determined from INC was 4.24 +/- 0.69 L[middle dot]min-1, and the CP and the W' estimated from AOT were 260 +/- 60 W and 16.5 +/- 4.0 kJ, respectively. W>CP during SPT was not significantly different from W>CP during CWR (15.3 +/- 5.6 and 16.6 +/- 7.4 kJ, respectively), and these values were also similar to W>CP during INC (16.4 +/- 4.0 kJ) and W' estimated from AOT. The peak V[spacing dot above]O2 during SPT was not significantly different from peak V[spacing dot above]O2 during CWR (4.20 +/- 0.77 and 4.14 +/- 0.75 L[middle dot]min-1, respectively), and these values were similar to the V[spacing dot above]O2max determined from INC and the peak V[spacing dot above]O2 during AOT (4.10 +/- 0.79 L[middle dot]min-1). Conclusion: Exhaustion during high-intensity exercise coincides with the achievement of the same peak V[spacing dot above]O2 (V[spacing dot above]O2max) and the completion of the same W>CP, irrespective of the work rate forcing function (INC or CWR) or pacing strategy (enforced pace or self-paced). These findings indicate that exhaustion during high-intensity exercise is based on highly predictable physiological processes, which are unaffected when pacing strategy is self-selected
