title: Effects of dominant somatotype on aerobic capacity trainability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the association between dominant somatotype and the effect on aerobic capacity variables of individualised aerobic interval training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty one white North African subjects (age 21.4+/-1.3 years; Vo2max = 52.8+/-5.7 ml kg(-1) min(-1)) performed three exercise tests 1 week apart (i) an incremental test on a cycle ergometer to determine Vo2max and Vo2 at the second ventilatory threshold (VT2); (ii) a VAM-EVAL track test to determine maximal aerobic speed (vVo2max); and (iii) an exhaustive constant velocity test to determine time limit performed at 100% vVo2max (tlim100). Subjects were divided into four somatometric groups: endomorphs-mesomorphs (Endo-meso; n = 9), mesomorphs (Meso; n = 11), mesomorphs-ectomorphs (Meso-ecto; n = 12), and ectomorphs (Ecto; n = 9). Subjects followed a 12 week training program (two sessions/week). Each endurance training session consisted of the maximal number of successive fractions for each subject. Each fraction consisted of one period of exercise at 100% of vVo2max and one of active recovery at 60% of vVo2max. The duration of each period was equal to half the individual tlim100 duration (153.6+/-39.7 s). After the training program, all subjects were re-evaluated for comparison with pre-test results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pre- and post-training data were grouped by dominant somatotype. Two way ANOVA revealed significant somatotype-aerobic training interaction effects (p<0.001) for improvements in vVo2max, Vo2max expressed classically and according to allometric scaling, and Vo2 at VT2. There were significant differences among groups post-training: the Meso-ecto and the Meso groups showed the greatest improvements in aerobic capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significant somatotype-aerobic training interaction suggests different trainability with intermittent and individualised aerobic training according to somatotype.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Nutrition, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, El Manar 1060, Tunis, Tunisia. mustapha.chaouachi@issep-ks.rnu.tn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chaouachi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaouachi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chamari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chtara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amri
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trudeau
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000208:ethnology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D013008:Somatotypes / Q000502:physiology*