Influence of recovery intensity on oxygen demand and repeated sprint performance

AIM: This study aimed to determine effects of recovery intensity (passive, 20, 30 and 40%V̇ O2peak) on oxygen uptake kinetics, performance and blood lactate accumulation during repeated sprints. METHODS: 7 moderately-trained male participants (V̇O2peak: 48.1 ± 5.1 ml·kg-1·min-1) performed 4 x 30-s repeated Wingate tests on 4 separate occasions. RESULTS: Recovery of V̇ O2 between sprints was prolonged with recovery intensity (time required to reach 50% V̇O2peak: Passive: 50 ± 9; 20%: 81 ± 17; 30%: 130 ± 43; 40%: 188 ± 62 sec, P<0.001), while V̇O2-to-sprint work ratio was mainly increased by the higher intensities (Passive: 138 ± 17; 20%: 149 ± 14; 30%: 159 ± 15; 40%: 158 ± 17 ml·min-1·kJ-1, P=0.001). The decline in peak power tended to be greater in the higher intensity conditions during sprint 2 (Passive: 7.4 ± 5.4; 20%: 5.8 ± 7.9; 30%: 12.7 ± 7.4; 40%: 12.7 ± 5.5%, P=0.052), whereas average power was less decreased with recovery intensity during sprint 4 (Passive: 22.4 ± 8.9; 20%: 19.9 ± 6.1; 30%: 18.4 ± 7.3; 40%: 16.6 ± 6.2%, P=0.036). Blood lactate was not different with recovery intensity (P=0.251). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that while the higher recovery intensities induce prolonged oxygen recovery and impaired peak power restoration during the initial sprints, those intensities provide a greater aerobic contribution to sprint performance, resulting in better power maintenance during the latter sprints.