Summary
Three groups of five women (age = 18–25 years) participated in a 12-week training program. Cardiovascular responses up to 85% VO2 max to interval (ITG) and continuous (CTG) training were studied in two groups, before training and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of training four times per week. A control group was assessed before and after 6 and 12 weeks. Both exercise groups demonstrated significant increases in Ca o2–C¯v o2 after 8 weeks with only slight further increases after 12 weeks (CTG=8.9%, ITG=20.0% at 85% VO2 max). No significant changes were noted in either group in SV (+ 5 ml ITG, + 9 ml CTG) or in their Q c. These results indicated that, in response to high intensity training, women may demonstrate similar cardiovascular adaptations to training as have been observed for men.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ashton, C. H., McHardy, G. J. R.: A rebreathing method for determining mixed venous PCO2 during exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 18, 668–671 (1963)
Campbell, E. J. M., Howell, J. R. L.: Rebreathing method for measurement of mixed venous PCO2. Br. Med. J. L, 630–633 (1962)
Cunningham, D. A., Hill, J. S.: Effect of training on cardiovascular response to exercise in women. J. Appl. Physiol. 39, 891–895 (1975)
Davies, C. T. M., Sargeant, A. J.: Effects of training on physiological responses to one- and two-leg work. J. Appl. Physiol. 38, 377–381 (1975)
Ekblom, B., åstrand, P., Saltin, B., Stenberg, J., Wallstrom, B.: Effect of training on circulatory response to exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 24, 518–528 (1968)
Ferguson, R., Montpetit, R., Dubuc, R., Gingras, Y.: L'entrÎment du système de transport d'oxygène par la course continue et par intervalles. Kinanthropologie 2, 171–179 (1970)
Franks, B. D., Cureton, T. K.: Effects of training on time components of the left ventricle. J. Sports Med. Phys. Fit. 9, 80–88 (1969)
Hartley, L. H., Grimby, G., Kilbom, å., Nilsson, N. J., åstrand, I., Bjure, J., Ekblom, B., Saltin, B.: Physical training in sedentary middle-aged and older men III. Cardiac output and gas exchange at submaximal and maximal exercise. Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest. 24, 335–344 (1969)
Hohorst, H. J.: l-(+)-Lactate determination with lactic dehydrogenase and DPN. In: Methods of enzymatic analysis, 2nd ed. (Bergmeyer, H. U., ed.), pp. 266–270. New York: Academic Press 1965
Jones, N. L., Campbell, E. J. M., McHardy, G. J. R., Higgs, B. E., Clode, M.: The estimation of carbon dioxide pressure of mixed venous blood during exercise. Clin. Sci. 32, 311–327 (1967)
Jones, N. L., McHardy, G. J. R., Naimark, A., Campbell, E. J. M.: Physiological dead space and alveolar-arterial gas pressure difference during exercise. Clin. Sci. 31, 19–29 (1966)
Jones, N. L., Rebuck, A. S.: Rebreathing equilibrium of CO2 during exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 35, 538–541 (1973)
Kilbom, å.: Physical training in women. Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest. 28, (Suppl. 119), 5–34 (1971)
Macnab, R. B. J., Conger, P. R., Taylor, P. S.: Differences in maximal and submaximal work capacity in men and women. J. Appl. Physiol. 27, 644–648 (1969)
McCrimmon, D. R., Cunningham, D. A., Rechnitzer, P. A., Griffiths, J.: Effect of training on plasma catecholamines in post myocardial infarction patients. Med. Sci. Sports 8, 152–156 (1976)
Paterson, D. H., Cunningham, D. A.: A comparison of methods for the calculation of cardiac output by the indirect (CO2) Fick technique. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 35, 223–230 (1976)
Pechar, G. S., McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., Magel, J. R., DeLuca, J.: Specificity of cardiorespiratory adaptation to bicycle and treadmill training. J. Appl. Physiol. 36, 753–756 (1974)
Roskam, H.: Optimum patterns of exercise for healthy adults. Can. Med. Assoc. J. 96, 895–899 (1967)
Saltin, B., Blomqvist, G., Mitchell, J. H., Johnson, R. L. Jr., Wildenthal, K., Chapman, C. B.: Response to exercise after bed rest and after training. A longitudinal study of adaptive changes in oxygen transport and body composition. Circulation 38, (Suppl. 7), 1–78 (1968)
Scholander, P. F.: Analyzer for accurate estimation of respiratory gases in one-half cubic centimeter samples. J. Biol. Chem. 67, 235–250 (1947)
Shephard, R. J.: Endurance Fitness, p. 395. Toronto: University of Toronto Press 1969
Wilmore, J. H., Girandola, R. N., Moody, D. L.: Validity of skinfold and girth assessment for predicting alterations in body composition. J. Appl. Physiol. 29, 313–317 (1970)
Winer, B. J.: Statistical Principles in Experimental Design. Toronto: McGraw-Hill 1962
Wolfe, L. A., Cunningham, D. A., Davis, G. M., Rechnitzer, P. A.: Reliability of noninvasive methods for measuring cardiac function in exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 44, 55–58 (1978)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by the Ontario Exercise-Heart Collaborative Study, a grant from the Ontario Department of Health — “Project No. 263”. Principal Investigators at the University of Western Ontario include Doctors C. Buck, D. A. Cunningham, P. A. Rechnitzer, and M. S. Yuhasz
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cunningham, D.A., McCrimmon, D. & Vlach, L.F. Cardiovascular response to interval and continuous training in women. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 41, 187–197 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430011
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430011