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No gender‐specific differences in mechanical efficiency during arm or leg exercise relative to ventilatory threshold
Author(s) -
Yasuda N.,
Gaskill S. E.,
Ruby B. C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2007.00637.x
Subject(s) - running economy , intensity (physics) , work (physics) , medicine , cardiology , cycling , physical therapy , zoology , vo2 max , physics , heart rate , biology , thermodynamics , blood pressure , history , archaeology , quantum mechanics
The purpose of this study was to determine economy and mechanical efficiency in men and women during both arm cranking (AC) and leg cycling (LC) at 70%, 85%, 100%, and 115% of mode‐specific ventilatory threshold ( T vent ). Recreationally active men ( n =9) and women ( n =9) with similar values for %V̇O 2peak at T vent served as subjects. All subjects performed 5 min of exercise at each intensity of 70%, 85%, 100%, and 115% of T vent for both AC and LC. Economy was expressed as W/L/min. Gross efficiency (GE) was determined as the ratio of work accomplished to total energy expended (%). Delta efficiency (DE) was determined as the ratio of delta work accomplished to delta energy expended (%). Economy and efficiency during LC were greater than during AC in men and women. During AC or LC exercise, no sex differences were found in either economy ( P =0.93 for AC, 0.98 for LC), GE ( P =0.88 for AC, 0.75 for LC), or DE ( P =0.57 for AC, 0.51 for LC). These findings indicate that men and women show similar economy and efficiency during both AC and LC exercise when subjects have similar %V̇O 2peak at T vent .