Int J Sports Med 2002; 23(1): 16-21
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-19275
Physiology and Biochemistry

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

The Ratio HLa : RPE as a Tool to Appreciate Overreaching in Young High-Level Middle-Distance Runners

M.  Garcin1 , A.  Fleury1 , V.  Billat1, 2
  • 1Laboratoire d’Etudes de la Motricité Humaine, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l’Education Physique, Université de Lille 2, Ronchin, France
  • 2Centre de Médecine du Sport C.C.A.S., Paris, France
Further Information

Publication History

May 9, 2001

Publication Date:
20 December 2001 (online)

Abstract

The purpose of the present investigation was to study the effects of eight weeks of intensive training at the beginning of the athletic season on perceived exertion and on the ratio of blood lactate concentration to ratings of perceived exertion (HLa : RPE) in young runners. Eight high-level middle-distance runners performed two exhausting exercises on an indoor track before and after eight weeks of training. The first test was an incremental exercise to determine their maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2 max), the velocity associated with V˙O2 max (vV˙O2 max), the velocity of the lactate concentration threshold (vLT) and the velocity delta 50 (vΔ50 : the velocity halfway between vV˙O2 max and vLT). The second test was a constant-load all-out run at vΔ50 to determine the time to exhaustion at this intensity (tlim vΔ50). There were five training sessions a week with interval training twice a week. After eight weeks of training, vV˙O2 max, vLT and tlim vΔ50 were not significantly different. The athletes perceived exercise as being harder after training than before at a same given relative velocity in the incremental test. During the all-out run at vΔ50, they felt that, at the same given relative time, they could endure less after than before training. Moreover, the HLa : RPE ratio was significantly lower after intensive interval-training performed immediately after the holidays. Consequently, two interval-training sessions per week would induce an overreaching state that is not yet characterized by a decrease in performance and physiological values whereas perceived exertion (RPE, ETL) and especially the HLa : RPE ratio allows the detection of changes in young high-level middle-distance runners.

References

  • 1 Allen T E, Hatcher P G, Lewis J B, Morgan R N. Metabolic and cardiorespiratory responses of young women to skipping and jogging.  Phys Sports Med. 1987;  5 109-116
  • 2 American College of Sports Medicine . The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in healthy adults.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1990;  22 265-274
  • 3 Aunola S, Rusko H. Does anaerobic threshold correlate with maximal lactate steady state.  J Sports Sci. 1992;  10 309-323
  • 4 Billat V, Flechet B, Petit B, Muriaux G, Koralsztein J P. Interval training at V˙O2 max: effects on aerobic performance and overtraining markers.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999;  31 156-163
  • 5 Billat V, Koralzstein J P. Significance of the velocity at V˙O2 max and time to exhaustion at this velocity.  Sports Medicine. 1996;  22 90-108
  • 6 Billat V, Slawinski J, Bocquet V, Demarle A, Lafitte L, Chassaing P, Koralsztein J P. Intermittent runs at the velocity associated with maximal oxygen uptake unables subjects to remain at maximal oxygen uptake for a longer time than intense but submaximal runs.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2000;  81 188-196
  • 7 Borg G V. Perceived exertion as an indicator of somatic stress.  Scand J Rehabil Med. 1970;  2 92-98
  • 8 Borg G V, Noble B. Perceived exertion . In: Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. Wilmore JH (ed) New-York; Academic Press 1974: 131-153
  • 9 Bosquet L, Leger L, Legros P. Blood lactate response to overtraining in male endurance athletes.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001;  84 107-114
  • 10 Boutcher S H, Seip R L, Hetzler R K, Pierce E F, Snead D, Weltman A. The effects of specificity of training on rating of perceived exertion at the lactate threshold.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1989;  59 365-369
  • 11 Demarie S, Koralsztein J P, Billat V. Time limit and time at V˙O2 max, during a continuous and an intermittent run.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2000;  40 96-102
  • 12 Doktor R, Sharkey B J. Note on some physiological and subjective reactions to exercise and training.  Percept Mot Skills. 1971;  32 233-234
  • 13 Ekblom B, Goldbarg A N. The influence of physical training and other factors on the subjective rating of perceived exertion.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1971;  83 399-406
  • 14 Eston R G, Davies B L, Williams J G. Use of perceived effort ratings to control exercise intensity in young healthy adults.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1987;  56 222-224
  • 15 Garcin M, Vandewalle H, Monod H. A new rating scale of perceived exertion based on subjective estimation of exhaustion time: a preliminary study.  Int J Sports Med. 1999;  20 40-43
  • 16 Haskvitz E M, Seip R L, Weltman J Y, Rogol A D, Weltman A. The effect of training intensity on ratings of perceived exertion.  Int J Sports Med. 1992;  13 377-383
  • 17 Hausswirth C A, Bigard A X, Le Chevalier J M. The Cosmed K4 Telemetry System as an accurate device for oxygen uptake measurements during exercise.  Int J Sports Med. 1997;  18 445-453
  • 18 Hays W L. Statistics. Fort Worth; Harcourt Brace College Publishers 1994, 5th edition
  • 19 Hooper S L, Mackinnon L T, Howard A, Gordon R D, Bachmann A W. Markers for monitoring overtraining and recovery.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995;  27 106-112
  • 20 James D VB, Doust J H. Oxygen uptake during moderate intensity running: response following a single bout of interval training.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1998;  77 551-555
  • 21 Jeukendrup A E, Hesselink M KC, Snyder A C, Kuipers H, Keiser H A. Physiological changes in male competitive cyclists after two weeks of intensified training.  Int J Sports Med. 1992;  13 534-541
  • 22 Kuipers H, Keiser H A. Overtraining in elite athletes - Review and directions for the future.  Sports Med. 1988;  6 79-92
  • 23 Okura T, Ueno L, Tanaka K. Evaluation of cardiorespiratory fitness by submaximal graded cycling test using ratings of perceived exertion in Japanese young men.  Japan J Phys Educ. 1998;  43 102-116
  • 24 Robertson R J, Caspersen C J, Allison T G, Skrinar G S, Abbott R A, Metz K F. Differentiated perceptions of exertion and energy cost of young women while carrying loads.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1982;  49 69-78
  • 25 Robertson R J, Noble B J. Perception of physical exertion: methods, mediators, and applications. Review.  Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 1997;  25 407-452
  • 26 Shephard R J, Vandewalle H, Gil V, Bouhlel E, Monod H. Respiratory, muscular and overall perceptions of effort: the influence of hypoxia and muscle mass.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1992;  24 556-567
  • 27 Skrinar G S, Ingram S P, Pandolf K B. Effect of endurance training on ratings of perceived exertion and stress hormones in women.  Percept Mot Skills. 1983;  57 1239-1250
  • 28 Snyder A C, Jeukendrup A E, Hesselink M K, Kuipers H, Foster C. A physiological/psychological indicator of over-reaching during intensive training.  Int J Sports Med. 1993;  14 29-32
  • 29 Taylor H L, Buskirk E, Henschel A. Maximal oxygen uptake as an objective measure of cardiorespiratory performance.  J Appl Physiol. 1955;  8 73-80
  • 30 Urhausen A, Gabriel H HW, Weiler B, Kindermann W. Ergometric and psychological findings during overtraining: a long-term follow-up study in endurance athletes.  Int J Sports Med. 1998;  19 114-120
  • 31 Womack C J, Davis S A, Blumer J, Barrett E, Gaesser G A, Weltman A. The effect of training and epinephrine infusion on ratings of perceived exertion (RPE).  Int J Sports Med. 1998;  19 121-124

M. Garcin

Laboratoire d’Etudes de la Motricité Humaine · Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l’Education Physique · Université de Lille 2

9 rue de l’Université · 59790 Ronchin · France ·

Phone: +33 (320) 88 73 69

Email: mgarcin@mailsc.univ-lille2.fr

    >