Adaptations to endurance training in the healthy elderly: arm cranking versus leg cycling

Abstract

The effect in healthy elderly subjects of cycle ergometer or arm ergometer training on peak oxygen consumption (VO(2peak)) and ventilatory threshold (VT) was studied. The aim was to determine the benefit of each training modality on specific and cross exercise capacity. The cross-effect was also evaluated as an index of the central nature of the adaptive response to training. Twelve non-smoking healthy males (age: 67 +/- 5 year; body mass: 75 +/- 9 kg) were randomly divided in two age-matched groups of six, performing an arm cranking (ARM) or a cycloergometer (CYC) training (12-week, 30 min, 3 times/week), while a third group of 6 subjects (age: 73 +/- 4 year; body mass: 80 +/- 8 kg) performed no training (control, C). At baseline and following the intervention, subjects carried out an incremental test to exhaustion both on the ergometer on which they trained (specific test) and on the other ergometer (cross test). Respiratory variables were measured breath by breath and heart rate (HR) was recorded. Peak oxygen consumption (VO(2peak)), ventilation (VE(peak)), oxygen pulse (O2P(peak)) and heart rate (HR(peak)) were averaged over the last 10 s of exercise. Following training, while HR(peak) remained unchanged, significantly higher W(peak), VO(2peak), VE(peak) and O2P(peak) were obtained in both training groups, on both ergometers. The amplitude of the increase in W(peak), VO(2peak) and O2P(peak) was significantly higher for specific than for cross tests ( approximately 19% vs. approximately 8 % in CYC; approximately 22% vs. approximately 9% in ARM, P < 0.01) while the increase in same test condition was similar. No change was observed in the C group. The results indicate that aerobic training brought about with different muscle masses, produce similar improvements in maximal and submaximal exercise capacity. Roughly half of such improvements are specific to exercise mode, which suggests peripheral adaptations to training. The other half is non-specific since it influences also the alternative exercise modality, and is probably due to central adaptations.

Comparison of the effect of upper body-ergometry aerobic training vs treadmill training on central cardiorespiratory improvement and walking distance in patients with claudication

“…26,27 Our findings also are compatible with the well-known exercise transfer effects that have been shown to occur in sedentary individuals with low fitness levels, during either maximal cycle ergometer or treadmill testing, after arm-ergometer exercise training. [26][27][28][29] Thus, exercise training of upper body muscle groups appears to result in a generalized systemic training effect that can improve exercise capacity of muscle groups not participating in the training effort. It is also plausible that the armergometry group experienced a greater stimulus for cardiorespiratory improvement than the treadmill group because the arm-ergometer group was limited by cardiorespiratory capacity or arm fatigue rather than by claudication pain.…”

Limb-specific and cross-transfer effects of arm-crank exercise training in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease

“…These findings, together with the excellent training adherence, low drop-out rate and lack of exercise-related complications, lend further support to the use of supervised arm-crank exercise training for improving walking performance and cardiopulmonary fitness in patients with intermittent claudication. The baseline cardiopulmonary fitness values recorded in the exercise tests were similar to those reported previously for patients with intermittent claudication [11,23] and lower than those reported for healthy males of a similar age [14,23]. The improvements in upper-limb peak work rate (27 %) and peakVo 2 (13 %) in the exercise group were also similar to those observed previously after arm-crank exercise training in a similar group of patients with intermittent claudication (22 and 13 % respectively) [11].…”

“…increased exercise performance during exercise with the untrained limbs) has generally been explained in terms of central and/or peripheral circulatory adaptations [12][13][14]. Such changes could enhance O 2 delivery to untrained exercising skeletal muscles and underpin improvements in cardiopulmonary fitness variables [i.e.…”

Determination of respiratory point compensation in healthy adults: Can non-invasive near-infrared spectroscopy help?

“…2 Despite these disagreements, the concept of intensity-dependent thresholds has been used for years in athletes, sedentary populations, and patients to assess cardiorespiratory health, to stratify individuals based on fitness status, to determine and monitor exercise intensities, and to quantify the outcomes of specific interventions. [2][3][4] One index of a threshold intensity that is commonly used is maximal lactate steady state (MLSS), which represents the highest exercise intensity at which an elevated blood lactate concentration can be stabilized and sustained for a prolonged period of exercise. 5 MLSS is considered among the "reference" methods for measurements of exercise tolerance.…”