RESUMO
Introduction: Exercise at high intensity may cause lower affective responses toward exercise compared with moderate intensity exercise. We aimed to elucidate affective valence and enjoyment in high- and moderate-high interval exercise. Methods: Twenty recreationally active participants (9 females, 11 males, age range: 20-51 years) underwent three different treadmill running exercise sessions per week over a 3-week period, in randomized order; (1) CE70: 45 min continuous exercise at 70% of heart rate maximum (HRmax), (2) INT80: 4 × 4 min intervals at 80% of HRmax, (3) INT90: 4 × 4 min intervals at 90% of HRmax. Pre-tests included graded submaximal steady state intensities and a test to exhaustion for determining peak oxygen uptake and HRmax. Affective valence (pleasure/displeasure) was measured before, during and after the sessions using the Feeling Scale (FS). Enjoyment was assessed before and after the sessions applying the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) and during the sessions using the Exercise Enjoyment Scale (EES). Results: The participants felt lower pleasure (between-sessions effect: p = 0.02, p η2: 0.13) during INT90 sessions (FS: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.35-1.92) compared with INT80 (FS: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.62-3.08, p = 0.052) and CE70 sessions (FS: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.72-3.18, p = 0.03), with no differences between INT80 and CE70 sessions (p = 1.00). There were higher enjoyment after INT80 sessions (PACES: 101.5, 95% CI: 95.7-107.3) versus CE70 sessions (PACES: 91.3 95% CI: 85.5-97.1, p = 0.046), and no differences between INT90 (PACES: 98.2, 95% CI: 92.4-103.4) and CE70 (p = 0.29) or INT80 (p = 1.00). For enjoyment during exercise, CE70 were perceived more enjoyable, and INT80 and INT90 less enjoyable in week 2 (EES: week x session: p = 0.01, p η2: 0.11; CE70: 4.3, 95% CI: 3.6-4.9, INT80: 4.6, 95% CI: 3.9-5.2, INT90: 4.0, 95% CI: 3.4-4.7) and 3 (EES: CE70: 4.2, 95% CI: 3.7-4.8, INT80: 4.8, 95% CI: 4.2-5.3, INT90: 4.3, 95% CI: 3.8-4.9) than in week 1 (EES: CE70: 3.5, 95% CI: 3.0-4.0, INT80: 5.0, 95% CI: 4.5-5.5, INT90: 4.5, 95% CI: 4.0-5.0). Conclusion: The negative affective consequences associated with high intensity interval exercise can be alleviated by keeping the intensity at or around 80% of HRmax while preserving the beneficial enjoyment responses associated with interval exercise.
RESUMO
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of prolonged ski racing using skating style on technique choice in a transition section among female and male high-level skiers. Fifty three national-to-elite level skiers (20 females: 26.7 ± 4.8 years, 167.0 ± 6.5 m, 61.0 ± 5.1 kg, and 75.5 ± 68.8 FIS points; 33 males: 25.2 ± 3.5 years, 179.0 ± 5.2 cm, 73.1 ± 5.7 kg, and 73.7 ± 63.2 FIS points) were video recorded along a flat-to-uphill transition section of a course during the 30-km (females) and 50-km (males) races at the 2018 Norwegian National Championships. Across laps, section speeds decreased (P < 0.001) in all skiers, with the best-ranked skiers faster than the lowest-ranked (P < 0.001), and males faster than females in the first and middle laps. Section speed within each lap was associated with race performance (r = 0.76-0.86, P < 0.001 in females and r = 0.87-0.89, P < 0.001 in males). The prevalence of Gear 2 (G2) increased, while Gear 3 (G3) use decreased (both P < 0.001) across the subsequent laps, with females preferring G2 more than males in lap one (P = 0.027). In long-distance skate-style skiing, transition performance is representative of race performance and skiers decrease the use of the often-faster G3 technique while increasing the use of the slower G2 technique due to prolonged exercise. Especially female skiers should consider adding some flat-to-uphill G3 practice into established training, specifically early in the session before fatigue may occur.
