Critical velocity during judo-specific throwing exercise (nage-komi)

Purpose The goal of the present study was to verify if it was possible to determine the critical velocity during a judo-specific exercise and if this intensity was equivalent to stabilization in blood lactate concentration in a 30-min continuous exercise in cadet and junior judo athletes. Methods Nine judo athletes (six males and three females) were evaluated in four sessions. During the first three sessions judo athletes performed nage-komi (technique execution throwing the partner) protocols using fixed intensities up to the exhaustion (around 1–2 min, 4–6 min and 9–10 min) to determine individual critical velocities, whereas in the fourth session judo athletes performed the nage-komi at the critical velocity and blood lactate measurements were conducted at rest, 5-min, 10-min, 20-min and 30-min to verify if a stabilization in this parameter would occur (the 30th value was compared to the 10th min value and if a difference lower than 1 mmol L − 1 was found it was considered stable). Results Six of the nine judo athletes were able to finish the 30-min at the critical velocity (0.21 ± 0.02 techniques/s) and three presented exhaustion in 16 min 47 s ± 7 min 21 s. For those completing the 30-min protocol, four judo athletes presented blood lactate stabilization and two presented increases over 1 mmol L -1 between the 10th and the 30th min. Conclusions The critical velocity can be used as a submaximal index of aerobic fitness, although it is not correspondent to maximal lactate steady-state for a great proportion of the judo athletes investigated.