Abstract
The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of different workloads on the
relative contribution of the various energy delivery systems during a 90-s ergocycle
test. Nine male subjects, 22±1 (mean±SD) years of age and weighing 71.4±6.8 kg, were
submitted to a VChmax test, as 10-s test (0.1 kp/kg) and three 90-s tests at different
loads (LO: 0.05, ME: 0.075 and HI: 0.1 kp/kg) on an ergocycle. No difference was found
between peak power output during the 10-s and HI tests. No differences were observed
in the total work output performed during 90 s at different workloads (between 481
and 495 J/kg) as well as in the contribution of aerobic and anaerobic pathways to
total energy production. However, V̇O2max was reached earlier during the ME and HI tests than during the LO test. These
results indicate that variation in workload did not influence the total work output
and the total contribution of aerobic and anaerobic systems during maximal 90-s ergocycle
performances. However, variation in workload had an impact on the relative aerobic
and anaerobic contribution at various time points. It is concluded that a 90-s ergocycle
test with a resistance of at least 0.1 kp/kg is required to appropriately assess maximal
anaerobic power while anaerobic capacity might be measured with workloads as low as
0.05 kp/kg.
Key words
Work output - anaerobic power - aerobic power - anaerobic capacity
