title: Cardiorespiratory responses during running and sport-specific exercises in handball players.
abstract: To determine whether a 4-a-side handball (HB) game is an appropriate aerobic stimulus to reach and potentially enhance maximal oxygen uptake (V O(2)max), and whether heart rate (HR) is a valid index of V O(2) during a handball game. Nine skilled players (21.0+/-2.9 yr) underwent a graded maximal aerobic test (GT) where V O(2)max and HR-V O(2) relationship were determined. V O(2), HR and blood lactate ([La](b)) were recorded during a 2 x 225 s (interspersed with 30s rest) 4-a-side handball game and were compared to those measured during an 480-s running intermittent exercise (IE). Mean V O(2) tended to be higher in handball compared to IE (93.9+/-8.5 vs. 87.6+/-7.4% O(2)max, p=0.06), whereas HR was similar (92.3+/-4.9 vs. 93.9+/-3.9% of the peak of HR, p=0.10). [La](b) was lower for handball than for IE (8.9+/-3.5 vs. 11.6+/-2.1 mmol l(-1), p=0.04). Time spent over 90% of V O(2)max was higher for handball than for IE (336.1+/-139.6s vs. 216.1+/-124.7s; p=0.03). The HR-V O(2) relationship during GT was high (r(2)=0.96, p<0.001) but estimated V O(2) from HR was lower to that measured (p=0.03) in handball, whereas there was no difference in IE. 4-a-side handball game can be used as a specific alternative to IE for enhancing aerobic fitness in handball players. Nevertheless, the accuracy of HR measures for estimating V O(2) during handball is poor.
authors: Laboratoire de Recherche, EA 3300 (APS et conduites motrices: Adaptations Réadaptations), Faculté des Sciences du Sport d'Amiens, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Allée P. Grousset, 80025 Amiens Cedex 1, France. martin.buchheit@u-picardie.fr
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Buchheit
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Lepretre
authors: A L
authors: AL
authors: Behaegel
authors: G P
authors: GP
authors: Millet
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Cuvelier
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Ahmaidi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid