Oxygen consumption and ventilation during constant-load exercise in runners and cyclists.

The effect of using specialized or no specialized muscle groups on ventilatory threshold (VT) and on maintenance of steady-state oxygen consumption during long term exercise on treadmill and on cycle ergometer was studied in ten endurance runners and nine cyclists. Initially, maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) and VT were determined. Oxygen consumption (VO2) ventilation (VE) respiratory rate (f), and blood lactate (in the beginning and at the end of exercise) were measured during exercise at constant relative loads of 60, 70, and 80% of VO2max. In the runners, both VO2max and VT (expressed as % VO2max and VO2 l/min) were greater on treadmill than on cycle ergometer and in the cyclists, VO2max was higher on cycle ergometer than on treadmill, but no differences in VT were detected between the two tests. The VO2, VE, and f drifts correlated with blood lactate level as well as with the calculated VT. The results suggest that the effect of using specialized or no specialized muscle groups on the maintenance of VO2 steadiness is achieved through training-induced changes on the level of blood lactate and, in VT.