Energy Cost and Energy Sources of Ball Routine in Rhythmic Gymnasts

The energy cost and the different energy sources of competitive rhythmic ball-routines were assessed in nine young elite rhythmic gymnasts (13 -- 16 years of age). The overall energy requirement of ball exercise (VO₂eq) was obtained by adding the amount of VO₂ during exercise above resting (VO₂ex) to the VO₂ up to the fast component of recovery (VO₂al) and to the energy equivalent of peak blood lactate accumulation (VO₂la^--) of recovery. The lactate (La) curve up to 25 minutes of recovery always showed La peaks at 3 min after exercise (4.0 ± 0.4 mmol/l) and values still above rest at 25 min (2.3 ± 0.5 mmol/l). Although ball routines were short in duration (90 s), the metabolic power requirement was 1.1 times higher than the subject's VšO₂max. The energy cost (VO₂eq) amounted to 81 ± 5ml · kg^--1. Higher fractions of VO₂eq were VO₂ex 49 % and VO₂al 42 %, while the remaining 9 % was due to VO₂la^--. The aerobic source resulted in the most utilized system due to the subjects' high VšO₂max (52.7 ml · kg^--1 · min^--1) and anaerobic threshold (LT = 84.4 %). The HR and the peak lactate values of ball routine were similar to the values recorded at LT step during treadmill test. Although the HR and VšO₂ values were significantly correlated (during pre-exercise, exercise, and fast recovery), the exercise intensity derived from HR Kanvonen method during ball routine did not correspond to the % of VšO₂max.

Rhythmic gymnastics - aerobic power - blood lactate concentration - anaerobic threshold - energy sources

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