Kinetics of oxygen uptake and recovery for supramaximal work of short duration

In order to follow the time pattern of oxygen uptake and recovery for supramaximal work of short duration, 35 male subjects (mean age 21.4 years, mean body weight 71.9 kg) pedalled a bicycle ergometer at maximal speed for 1 min. A constant frictional resistance of 5.5 kg was used, resulting in a total work output of 2890 kpm (85 revolutions, SD = 7.5). The total percent decrement in work output from the initial rate on this test was 59.7 %. The total oxygen uptake during the work averaged 2.35 l, the net oxygen recovery was 4.891, while the net work efficiency was 19.3 %. One and two component exponential curves fit the observed oxygen uptake and recovery measures with a high degree of accuracy. Comparison of the curve parameters with published data showed large differences for the post exercise oxygen recovery and the slow component of the recovery curve. The magnitude of the fast component of recovery was similar to other data. The total oxygen uptake during the test was found to be 10% lower than the maximal oxygen uptake determined on a seperate progressive step-increment test. It was shown, by curve analysis, that the maximal oxygen uptake would have been reached in approximately 2 min.