[Effect of a three month training period on the maximal oxygen deficiency in high level performance sprinters].
Résumé
Recent studies have proposed the use of the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) as a useful alternative method to quantify individual anaerobic capacity (Green and Dawson, 1993; Medbø et al., 1988). Therefore, the aim of this research was to study the effect of a usual training procedure on maximal oxygen deficit and some other usual indicators of anaerobic capacity in elite 400-m runners (Lmax and Tlim). Eleven elite 400-m runners participated in this study. Each of them underwent two tests during two sessions before and after a training period. During these tests, MAOD, postexercise peak blood lactate (Lmax), oxygen uptake peak (VO2peak) and time to exhaustion (Tlim) were calculated or recorded. After the training period, the MAOD values decreased significantly contrary to VO2peak which increased by 8.84%. Furthermore a significant correlation was found between MAOD and VO2peak. From a training standpoint, MAOD appears to be sensitive to intense aerobic training in elite sprint runners, but it is very difficult to establish the utility of MAOD within an homogeneous high performance athletic population for 400 m training or performance optimisation.