VO2 Slow Component is Independent from Critical Power.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the amplitude of the ?V O 2 slow component was dependent from Critical Power (CP; the slope of the linear time - distance relationship) in individuals matched for ?V O 2 peak. 30 moderatelytrained endurance athletes completed a maximal graded exercise test, 2 randomly ordered constant power tests at 90 and 100 % of peak power output (PPO), and 2 constant duration test of 6 min at 30 % of the diff erence between CP and PPO. Afterwards, participants were ranked according to their relative CP ( % PPO; a direct measure of aerobic endurance). The median third was excluded to form a low aerobic endurance group (LEG) and a high aerobic endurance group (HEG). A t-test revealed no diff erence between LEG and HEG in peak oxygen consumption, but a large diff erence in their relative CP (p < 0.001,eff ect size = 3.2). A ? 2 was similar between groups (626 ± 96 and 512 ± 176 ml, corresponding to 26 ± 4 and 24 ± 8 % of end exercise oxygen consumption, respectively; NS) and was not associated with relative CP (r = 0.10; NS). These results suggest that increasing CP probably extends the range of exercise intensities over which the ?V O 2 slow component does not develop, but does not decrease the amplitude of this phenomenon once it occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]