Metabolic profile of high intensity intermittent exercises - popular Tabata Study

Metabolic profile of high intensity intermittent exercises.Tabata, I.;
Irisawa, K.; Kouzaki, M.; Nishimura, K.; Ogita, F.; Miyachi, M.,
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Mar 1997: Vol. 29 Issue 3. p.
390-395 (English Abstract Available)

Abstract: To evaluate the magnitude of the stress on the aerobic and the
anaerobic energy release systems during high intensity bicycle training,
two commonly used protocols (IE1 and IE2) were examined during
bicycling. IE1 consisted of one set of 6-7 bouts of 20-s exercise at an
intensity of approximately 170 percent of the subject's maximal oxygen
uptake (VO2max) with a 10-s rest between each bout. IE2 involved one set
of 4-5 bouts of 30-s exercise at an intensity of approximately 200
percent of the subject's VO2max and a 2-min rest between each bout. The
accumulated oxygen deficit of IE1 (69 plus/minus 8 ml.kg-1, mean
plus/minus SD) was significantly higher than that of IE2 (46 plus/minus
12 ml.kg-1, N = 9, p less than 0.01). The accumulated oxygen deficit of
IE1 was not significantly different from the maximal accumulated oxygen
deficit (the anaerobic capacity) of the subjects (69 plus/minus 10
ml.kg-1), whereas the corresponding value for IE2 was less than the
subjects' maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (P less than 0.01). The
peak oxygen uptake during the last 10 s of the IE1 (55 plus/minus 6
ml.kg-1.min-1) was not significantly less than the VO2max of the
subjects (57 plus/minus 6 ml.kg-1.min-1). The peak oxygen uptake during
the last 10 s of IE2 (47 plus/minus 8 ml.kg-1.min-1) was lower than the
VO2max (P less than 0.01). In conclusion, this study showed that
intermittent exercise defined by the IE1 protocol may tax both the
anaerobic and aerobic energy releasing systems almost maximally.