Effect of training intensity in adult females on aerobic power, related to lean body mass

Summary

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of training intensity on maximal aerobic power on the basis of the subjects lean body mass. Seven sedentary adult females aged 23–40 years participated in a 44-week training experiment. They trained on a bicycle ergometer at progressive intensities of 60, 75, and 90% VO₂ max for 13, 18, and 13 consecutive weeks, respectively. The total amount of work was between 9,000 and 12,000 kpm a day and frequency between 2 and 4 days a week, keeping both factors approximately constant for each subject throughout the 44-week training period. Mean VO₂ max increased significantly during 60 and 90% VO₂ max training. The increase during 75% VO₂ max training was not significant. The final values during the three training periods were not necessarily the highest ones. Keeping the effect of age statistically constant, a significant partial correlation developed between the initial values and the total gains (%) of VO₂ max, V _E, and O₂ pulse, expressed per lean body mass (LBM). The final attained values of VO₂ max per LBM were significantly correlated with age. Therefore, if training intensity is sufficiently effective, it might be assumed that everyone has the same capacity for the improvement of cardiorespiratory function corresponding to their lean body mass, which is related to the magnitude of muscle mass. Furthermore, it might be said that the attainable level of aerobic power is greatly limited by the effects of age.