Diagnostics of anaerobic power and capacity

Abstract

Testing procedures for the assessment of anaerobic energy metabolism during muscular work have not yet gained the relevance of tests assessing maximal aerobic power. The diagnosis of aerobic power allows one, through the choice of an adequate testing protocol, to design a test that mainly measures the power of aerobic metabolism by means of indicators like VO_2max and lactate. With regard to tests for the assessment of anaerobic power and capacity, however, alactic, lactic, and oxidative components of energy expenditure as a whole cannot be differentiated by means of simple parameters (e.g., lactate and time until exhaustion). By means of computer simulations of energy metabolism for supramaximal loads with durations until exhaustion of about 10 s and 60 s as well as the isolated variation of the concentration of muscle phosphocreatine, the maximal rate of lactate production, and the maximal aerobic power (VO_2max), the influence of the single components on energy metabolism as a whole is presented in a semi-quantitative way. Subsequent testing procedures for the measurement of alactic and lactic power as well as alactic and lactic capacity are presented. Finally critical-power method and method for the determination of maximal accumulated O₂ deficit are described in greater detail, because both methods are widely discussed in contemporary international literature.

Keywords:

• energy metabolism
• anaerobic capacity
• anaerobic power
• critical power
• lactate