M. M. Toner

PERCEPTUAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES DURING EXERCISE IN COOL AND COLD WATER

This investigation examined the interaction of exposure to cold water stress with both perceived exertion and thermal sensation during exercise. Eight male volunteers performed arm, leg, and combined arm and leg exercise for 45 min. in water at 20 and 26°C. Exercise was performed at a low (n = 7) and a high (n = 8) intensity relative to the ergometer specific peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak). In general, percent VOz peak did not differ between types of exercise in either 20 or 26°C water. During low intensity exercise when power output was matched across water temperatures (Tw), percent VO2 peak was greater in 20°C water (52%) compared to 26°C water (42%). Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) did not differ between Tw. During high intensity exercise when percent VO2 peak was matched across Tw, RPE was lower during exercise in 20°C compared to 26°C. Multiple correlation analyses comparing both final RPE and thermal sensation (TS) with physiological and thermal measures were performed across type of exercise and Tw. RPE was moderately correlated with heart rate (r = 0.68) and ventilation (r = 0.61), whereas very slight relationships were established with TS (r = 0.16), skin and rectal temperatures (r = 0.10 and r = 0.20). TS was moderately correlated with skin and rectal temperatures (r = 0.64 and r = 0.73), whereas low correlations existed between TS and both heart rate (r = 0.32) and ventilation (r = —0.12). These data suggest that the change in oxygen uptake associated with exercise in cold water does not add to the over-all perception of exertion. This perception appears to be related to cardiopulmonary variables rather than thermal measures, whereas thermal sensation is related to thermal measures and not cardiopulmonary variables.

Cardiovascular adjustments to exercise distributed between the upper and lower body

The present study examined the hemodynamic differences between upper- and lower-body exercise where the total power output (PO) was proportionally distributed between the upper and lower body. Six males completed five combinations of arm-leg exercise at maximal and three submaximal intensities. The ratio of arm PO to total PO for each exercise combination was 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%. At each submaximal intensity, VO2 and cardiac output (Q) were not different (P greater than 0.05) across exercise combinations. Likewise, heart rate (HR) responses were not different for 0, 25, 50, and 75% at level 1 (mean = 102, 102, 106, 106 beats.min-1, respectively), level 2 (mean = 114, 110, 119, 118 beats.min-1, respectively), and level 3 (mean = 127, 124, 132, 131 beats.min-1, respectively). However, HR for 100% (arm-only exercise) tended to be higher than 0% at level 1 (delta HR = 10 beats.min-1; P less than 0.10), level 2 (delta HR = 12 beats.min-1, P less than 0.06) and level 3 (delta HR = 10 beats.min-1; P less than 0.06). At level 1, stroke volume (SV) remained essentially unchanged from 0-75%, while SV at 100% (108 ml) was slightly though not significantly lower (P less than 0.10) than 0% (125 ml). At exercise levels 2 and 3, SV remained unchanged for 0 and 25%; however, SV at 50, 75, and 100% were generally lower (P less than 0.05) compared with 0%. These results indicate that involving the leg musculature to varying degrees during arm-leg exercise attenuates the hemodynamic differences observed during strict upper body versus strict lower body exercise.

Specificity of arm training on aerobic power during swimming and running.

The specificity of aerobic training for upper-body exercise requiring differing amounts of muscle mass was evaluated in 25 college-aged male recreational swimmers who were randomly assigned to either a non-training control group (N = 9), a 10-wk swim(S)-training group (N = 9), or a group that trained with a standard swim-bench pulley system (SB; N = 7). For all subjects prior to training, tethered-swimming peak VO2 averaged 19% below treadmill values (P less than 0.01), while SB-ergometry peak VO2 was 50% and 39% below running and swimming values, respectively (P less than 0.01). Significant (P less than 0.01) increases of peak VO2 in tethered swimming (11%) and SB (21%) were observed for the SB-trained group, while the S-trained group improved (P less than 0.01) 18% and 19% on the tethered swimming and SB tests, respectively. No changes were observed during treadmill running, and the control subjects remained unchanged on all measures. Comparisons between training groups indicated that although both groups improved to a similar extent when measured on the swim bench, the 0.53 l X min-1 improvement in tethered-swimming peak VO2 for the S-trained group was greater (P less than 0.05) than the 0.32 l X min-1 increase noted for the SB-trained group. The comparisons between SB and S exercise vs treadmill exercise support the specificity of aerobic improvement with training and suggest that local adaptations contribute significantly to improvements in peak VO2. Furthermore, the present data indicate that SB exercise activates a considerable portion of the musculature involved in swimming, and that aerobic improvements with SB training are directly transferred to swimming.

Changes in Landing Mechanics After Cold-Water Immersion

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of cold-water immersion on kinematics and kinetics during a drop-landing task. On four separate occasions, 9 men performed drop-landings from a 0.6-m platform to a force platform following 30-min immersion to the hip-joint in thermoneutral water (control; 34 °C) and in cold water (20 °C) to the ankle (low level), knee (medium level), and hip (high level) joints. Sagittal plane kinematics and kinetics were determined. One-way repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis. Compared to the control, the low-level condition had similar joint mechanics, the medium level showed 26% less ankle mechanical work (p = .003), and the high level showed 9% less vertical ground reaction force (p = .025) and 23% less ankle mechanical work (p = .023) with 18% greater trunk flexion (p = .024). In summary, the low-level cold-water immersion had no effect on landing mechanics. The medium- and high-level cold-water immersion resulted in a reduction in impact absorption at the ankle joint during landing. The increased trunk flexion after high-level immersion helped dissipate landing impact.