Passive versus active recovery during high-intensity intermittent exercises.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of passive versus active recovery on muscle oxygenation and on the time to exhaustion for high-intensity intermittent exercises.


METHODS
Twelve male subjects performed a graded test and two intermittent exercises to exhaustion. The intermittent exercises (15 s) were alternated with recovery periods (15 s), which were either passive or active recovery at 40% of .VO2max. Oxyhemoglobin was evaluated by near-infrared spectroscopy during the two intermittent exercises.


RESULTS
Time to exhaustion for intermittent exercise alternated with passive recovery (962 +/- 314 s) was significantly longer (P < 0.001) than with active recovery (427 +/- 118 s). The mean metabolic power during intermittent exercise alternated with passive recovery (48.9 +/- 4.9 mL.kg-1.min-1) was significantly lower (P < 0.001) than during intermittent exercise alternated with active recovery (52.6 +/- 4.6 mL.kg-1.min-1). The mean rate of decrease in oxyhemoglobin during intermittent exercises alternated with passive recovery (2.9 +/- 2.4%.s-1) was significantly slower (P < 0.001) than during intermittent exercises alternated with active recovery (7.8 +/- 3.4%.s-1), and both were negatively correlated with the times to exhaustion (r = 0.67, P < 0.05 and r = 0.81, P < 0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The longer time to exhaustion for intermittent exercise alternated with passive recovery could be linked to lower metabolic power. As intermittent exercise alternated with passive recovery is characterized by a slower decline in oxyhemoglobin than during intermittent exercise alternated with active recovery at 40% of .VO2max, it may also allow a higher reoxygenation of myoglobin and a higher phosphorylcreatine resynthesis, and thus contribute to a longer time to exhaustion.
Dupont
Grégory
G
Laboratory of Human Movement Studies, Faculty of Sports Sciences and Physical Education, 9 Rue de L'Université, Lille 2 University, 59790 Ronchin, France.
Moalla
Wassim
W
Guinhouya
Comlavi
C
Ahmaidi
Saïd
S
Berthoin
Serge
S
D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D012119:Respiration; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
D010108:Oxyhemoglobins