Author: Andrzej Sagalara

Training at lactate threshold is usually performed at the intensity (referred to as the running velocity or heart rate at the intensity corresponding to the initial increase of blood lactate [La-] above resting level (usually of about 0,5 mmol/l). Lactate threshold shift toward a higher-intensity (i.e. higher running speed) indicates an increase of aerobic capacity level of an athlete and an increase of exercise tolerance. This means that the athlete is able to continue the effort with higher intensity (or higher heart rate without the increase and accumulation of both lactate concentration [La-] and hydrogen ions [H+] (causing a lowering…

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Long-lasting endurance is accompanied by two types of exhaustion: circuital and centrifugal. Circuital exhaustion is the result of local changes developing in muscles , while centrifugal exhaustion is a result of changes in a centrifugal nervous system. According to one of the theories on centrifugal exhaustion, a higher level of serotonin in brain causes decrease in mental abilities and physical capacity. The level of serotonin in human brain is growing when the level of tryptophan (its precursor) in blood is getting bigger. During endurance exercises, the level of BCAA is getting lower causing its easier permeability to a brain that…

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One of the main storage of a swimming training is a capacity training describing the swimming distance covered during one training. At the beginning of 1950s, a swimming training was limited to the distance of between 1500 and 2000 meters a day. During the next 30-40 years, the trainings were adjusted to the rule: ‘The more, the better’. A lot of swimming coaches think that to develop a full competitor’s ability it is necessary to swim more than 10 000 meters a day (that, in fact, corresponds with 3 or 4 hours of training a day). Another coaches claim that to…

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The level of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) describes the highest amount of oxygen that human body is able to consume during one minute and is usually expressed in absolute (Liters/min) and relative (mL/kg/min) units. According to the scientific literature, the major factors that determine the level of VO2max are: the ability of cardio-vascular system to transport oxygen to working muscles ability of oxygen utilization in the muscles (in the mitochondria) The measurements of VO2max involve laboratory exercise tests (usually on mechanical treadmills or cycle ergometers) with progressively increasing intensity, during which a basic criterion of reaching VO2max is the oxygen…

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