Supplemental intermittent-day heat training and the lactate threshold.
Heat acclimation over consecutive days has been shown to improve aerobic-based performance. Recently, it has been suggested that heat training can improve performance in a temperate environment. However, due to the multifactorial training demands of athletes, consecutive-day heat training may not be suitable. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of brief (8×30min) intermittent (every 3-4 days) supplemental heat training on the second lactate threshold point (LT2) in temperate and hot conditions. 21 participants undertook eight intermittent-day mixed-intensity treadmill exercise training sessions in hot (30°C; 50% relative humidity [RH]) or temperate (18°C; 30% RH) conditions. A pre- and post-incremental exercise test occurred in temperate (18°C; 30% RH) and hot conditions (30°C; 50% RH) to determine the change in LT2. The heat training protocol did not improve LT2in temperate (Effect Size [ES]±90 confidence interval=0.10±0.16) or hot (ES=0.26±0.26) conditions. The primary finding was that although the intervention group had a change greater than the SWC, no statistically significant improvements were observed following an intermittent eight day supplemental heat training protocol comparable to a control group training only in temperate conditions. This is likely due to the brief length of each heat training session and/or the long duration between each heat exposure.
Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition, and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Electronic address: stuart.gollan@mymail.unisa.edu.au.
Stuart
S
Gollan
Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition, and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia; Sport and Exercise Science, School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Australia.
Samuel
S
Chalmers
Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition, and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
Stephen
S
Alderton
Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition, and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
Kevin
K
Norton
D000064:Acclimatization; D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance; D012420:Running
D019344:Lactic Acid
Acclimation; Hot; Intermittent; Performance; Running