Bioenergetics and neuromuscular determinants of the time to exhaustion at velocity corresponding to (V) over dotO(2)max in recreational long-distance runners

Abstract

Bertuzzi, R, Bueno, S, Pasqua, LA, Acquesta, FM, Batista, MB, Roschel, H, Kiss, MAPDM, Serrao, JC, Tricoli, V, and Ugrinowitsch, C. Bioenergetics and neuromuscular determinants of the time to exhaustion at velocity corresponding to (V) over dotO(2)max in recreational long-distance runners. J Strength Cond Res 26(8): 2096-2102, 2012-The purpose of this study was to investigate the main bioenergetics and neuromuscular determinants of the time to exhaustion (T-lim) at the velocity corresponding to maximal oxygen uptake in recreational long-distance runners. Twenty runners performed the following tests on 5 different days: (a) maximal incremental treadmill test, (b) 2 submaximal tests to determine running economy and vertical stiffness, (c) exhaustive test to measured the T-lim, (d) maximum dynamic strength test, and (e) muscle power production test. Aerobic and anaerobic energy contributions during the T-lim test were also estimated. The stepwise multiple regression method selected 3 independent variables to explain T-lim variance. Total energy production explained 84.1% of the shared variance (p = 0.001), whereas peak oxygen uptake ((V) over dotO(2)peak) measured during T-lim and lower limb muscle power ability accounted for the additional 10% of the shared variance (p = 0.014). These data suggest that the total energy production, (V) over dotO(2)peak, and lower limb muscle power ability are the main physiological and neuromuscular determinants of T-lim in recreational long-distance runners.