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Effects of priming exercise intensity on the dynamic linearity of the pulmonary V̇O2 response during heavy exercise

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Abstract

Prior heavy-intensity exercise facilitates the pulmonary oxygen uptake (V̇O2) response during subsequent exercise, such that its kinetics returns towards first-order. To better understand this “priming” phenomenon, we investigated the effect of priming exercise, over a range of intensities, on the V̇O2 response to heavy-intensity cycle ergometry at a work rate of Δ50% [halfway between lactate threshold (LT) and V̇O2max]. Eight subjects performed two consecutive 6-min bouts separated by 6 min at 20 W. The first bout was each of: no warm-up control (CON), sub-lactate threshold (LT) at 80% of LT, and three supra-LT conditions (Δ20%, Δ40%, and Δ60%). The V̇O2 response during the subsequent bout was evaluated using the “effective” time constant (τ′), and the V̇O2 difference between minutes 3 and 6 (ΔV̇O2(6–3)). The goodness-of-fit, indicative of “first-order” kinetics, was determined by the residual profile, and the mean square of errors (MSEr). The heart rate and blood lactate concentration ([La]r) just prior to the second bout were also measured. Compared with CON, τ′ and ΔV̇O2(6–3) were significantly reduced following all supra-LT priming bouts, while the goodness-of-fit was significantly improved following Δ40% exercise. ΔV̇O2(6–3) and [La]r were negatively correlated (P<0.05), unlike HR. In conclusion, prior exercise just above, but not below, LT facilitated the V̇O2 response in a threshold-like manner. Supra-LT priming exercise influenced the V̇O2 response allowing it to return to within as little as 12% from first-order (compared to ~50% in CON). The associated increases in circulating lactate and/or related factors seem to be centrally involved in this phenomenon.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from The Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture in Japan to YF (no. 12680048) and Uehara Memorial Life Science Foundation to Y.F. H.B.R. is an International Prize Traveling Fellow of The Wellcome Trust UK (no. 064898).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Exercise Science and Physiology, School of Health Sciences, Hiroshima Prefectural Women’s University, 1-1-71 Ujina-higashi Minami-ku, 734-8558, Hiroshima, Japan

    Masako Endo, Akira Miura & Yoshiyuki Fukuba

  2. Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, 739-8521, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan

    Sachio Usui

  3. Faculty of Environmental Symbiotic Sciences, Prefectural University of Kumamoto, 862-8502, Kumamoto, Japan

    Yoshiyuki Fukuoka

  4. Division of Physiology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA

    Harry B. Rossiter

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  1. Masako Endo
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Correspondence to Yoshiyuki Fukuba.

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Endo, M., Usui, S., Fukuoka, Y. et al. Effects of priming exercise intensity on the dynamic linearity of the pulmonary V̇O2 response during heavy exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 91, 545–554 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-003-1005-1

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