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Maximal and submaximal metabolic and cardiovascular measures and work capacity were studied in control (n = 7) and experimental (n = 9) subjects (S's) during arm work prior to and following 10 wk of interval arm training. These measures were oxygen uptake (VO2), minute ventilation (VE), heart rate (HR), respiratory exchange ratio (R), cardiac output (Q), stroke volume (SV), and arteriovenous oxygen difference ((a--v)O2 diff). In addition, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was measured in both groups during treadmill running. Experimental S's showed significant increases (P less than 0.01) in peak VO2 (438 ml.min-1), max VE (17.7 l.min-1), max (a--v)O2 diff (20.8 ml.l-1), and work time (9.2 min) during arm ergometry, while maximum values of Q, SV, HR, and R remained unchanged. In addition, submaximal heart rates were significantly lower during arm ergometry after training. VO2max during treadmill running remained essentially unchanged. No changes in metabolic and physiological measures were noted for the controls after the 10-wk training period. The results support the concept of training specificity for VO2max, and indicate that the improvement in peak VO2 in arm ergometry reflects enhanced oxygen utilization due to an expanded (a--v)O2 diff.

The present study was designed to evaluate the specificity-generality of the cardiorespiratory adaptation to swim training. Fifteen male, college age, recreational swimmers utilized interval swim training procedures 1 h/day, 3 days/wk for 10 wk. Maximum physiological measures (Vo2, Ve, HR, R, and work time) were determined prior to and following swim training during treadmill running and tethered swimming Vo2max tests. Identical measures were made on 15 control subjects who did not participate in any form of training. As a result of training, the experimental subjects significantly increased (all P is less than 0.01) their swimming Vo2max (380 ml/min) max Ve (14.9 l/min,btps) and max swim time (4.0 min), and significantly decreased (P is less than 0.05) their max HR (3.5 beats/min). However, there was no significant improvement in Vo2max when the same subjects were evaluated by the treadmill running test. Differences in Vo2max and associated measures during running and swimming tests remained essentially unchanged for control subjects. The results of the present study clearly demonstrate the specificity of the cardiorespiratory adaptation to swim training in male recreational swimmers.

The specificity of aerobic training for upper-body exercise requiring differing amounts of muscle mass was evaluated in 25 college-aged male recreational swimmers who were randomly assigned to either a non-training control group (N = 9), a 10-wk swim(S)-training group (N = 9), or a group that trained with a standard swim-bench pulley system (SB; N = 7). For all subjects prior to training, tethered-swimming peak VO2 averaged 19% below treadmill values (P less than 0.01), while SB-ergometry peak VO2 was 50% and 39% below running and swimming values, respectively (P less than 0.01). Significant (P less than 0.01) increases of peak VO2 in tethered swimming (11%) and SB (21%) were observed for the SB-trained group, while the S-trained group improved (P less than 0.01) 18% and 19% on the tethered swimming and SB tests, respectively. No changes were observed during treadmill running, and the control subjects remained unchanged on all measures. Comparisons between training groups indicated that although both groups improved to a similar extent when measured on the swim bench, the 0.53 l X min-1 improvement in tethered-swimming peak VO2 for the S-trained group was greater (P less than 0.05) than the 0.32 l X min-1 increase noted for the SB-trained group. The comparisons between SB and S exercise vs treadmill exercise support the specificity of aerobic improvement with training and suggest that local adaptations contribute significantly to improvements in peak VO2. Furthermore, the present data indicate that SB exercise activates a considerable portion of the musculature involved in swimming, and that aerobic improvements with SB training are directly transferred to swimming.

By use of successive increments of discontinuous work with an arm-leg cycle ergometer the VO2, Q, SV, and HR were studied in six male subjects at rest and during exercise in air and in water at 18, 25, and 33 degrees C. The Q values obtained by CO2 rebreathing were reproducible. VO2 was linearly related to work with the plots for air and 33 degrees C water being similar. However, during work in 25 and 18 degrees C water, the VO2 averaged 9.0% (150 ml) and 25.3% (400 ml) higher, respectively, than values observed in 33 degrees C water, with the largest differences observed in leaner subjects. The plot of HR-VO2 was linear and almost identical during work in air and 33 degrees C water, but shifted significantly to the right in cooler water. VO2 averaged 250-700 ml higher in cold water compared to air and 33 degrees C water at a given mean heart rate. The Q vs. VO2 line was similar during work in air and in water with no effect of water or temperature. At similar levels of VO2, SV was significantly larger (P less than 0.05) in 25 and 18 degrees C water than in air or 33 degrees C water. Consequently, the reduction in heart rate during work in cold water was entirely compensated for by a proportionate increase in the SV of the heart. Q was therefore maintained at similar levels of energy expenditure in air and in 18, 25, and 30 degrees C water.

Physiologic responses to ballet exercise and VO2max during treadmill running were studied in elite professional ballet dancers (7 men, 8 women; age 20-30 yr) from American Ballet Theatre. Ten dancer were studied during standard 1-h ballet classes consisting of 28 min of barre and 32 min of center floor exercise. Eight dancers performed maximal treadmill running tests yielding VO2max values (ml . min-1 . kg-1) of 48.2 (range 43.8-51.9) for men and 43.7 (range 40.9-50.1) for women. Mean VO2 (ml . min-1 . kg-1) during barre exercise was 18.5 (38% VO2max) for men and 16.5 (38% VO2max) for women; during center floor exercise 26.3 (55% VO2max) for men and 20.1 (46% VO2max) for women, with a peak of 77% VO2max for a male dancer. Mean caloric output values (kcal . kg-1 . min-1) during barre exercise were 0.09 and 0.08 for men and women, respectively, and during center floor exercise 0.13 for men and 0.10 for women, with a peak of 0.18 for one male dancer. Estimated net caloric outputs for the entire ballet class averaged 200 kcal . h-1 for women and 300 kcal . h-1 for men. During barre exercise, HR was below the training sensitive zone (70% HR max) for significant periods of time. Peak HR (beats . min-1) was relatively high during allegro center floor exercise, averaging 178 (92% HR max) and 158 (85% HR max) for men and women, respectively. However, these were maintained for only brief durations similar to sprint or burst activities. We conclude that these physiologic data obtained during ballet class represent only a relatively modest stimulus for augmenting aerobic (VO2max). In conjunction with the strong isometric component in ballet exercise, along with the sprint or burst component of ballet exercise, these factors would produce in elite ballet dancers VO2max values in the range of non-endurance athletes.