Aerobic and Anaerobic Energy Contributions during Short-Duration Supramaximal Exercises with Different Exercise Intensities

The study examined the relative energy contributions during 60-s supramaximal exercise with different exercise intensities. Nine male track and field sprinters performed a 60-s Wingate anaerobic test and a 60-s cycling tests at five intensities of 55%, 65%, 75%, 85%, and 95% mean power of the Wingate anaerobic test. The relative contributions of aerobic and anaerobic energy during the 60-s cycling tests were estimated by the ratio of O2 uptake and O2 deficit, the latter being calculated as the difference between O2 demand and O2 uptake. %VO2max of the 60-s cycling tests ranged from 100 ± 7 to 163 ± 11%VO2max. As exercise intensity increased, O2 uptake, O2 deficit, and anaerobic energy contributions during the 60-s cycling tests increased (p < 0.05). In contrast, in the first ~40 s during the 60-s cycling, the anaerobic energy contributions were not significant differences between each intensity. O2 uptake per 10 s increased with time course till 40 or 50 s in each intensity (p < 0.05). The different results of these at the first ～40 and 60 s during the 60-s cycling tests could be attributed to the insufficient increase in O2 uptake during the last 20 s of the test. These results suggest that, as exercise intensity increases, the anaerobic energy contribution becomes more prominent in the latter half of the 60-s exercise (i.e., 50 and 60 s) compared to the first 30 and 40 s.