{SPORTS MED PHYS FIENESS 2001 4177-82 VO ymax» Ventilatory and anaerobic thresholds in rhythmic gymnasts and young female dancers Background. This study examines the Btness level ofa rhythmic gymnasts group and a young female classical dancers group. ‘Methods, Aerobic power (VO yay) individual ventilatory (IVT) land anaerobic thresholds (IAT) were assessed in. 12 elite rhyth- mic gymnasts, eight elite ballet dancers and 12 sedentary female subjects in the same age range (13-16 yrs). The VO jingu, IVT and IAT were assessed during @ continuous incremental running treadmill test Resulis ACIVT and IAT the VOamay expressed in mb-kg-tmin! was significantly diferent between the three groups of sub- jects, The highest values were found in gymnasts (30.8226 for IVT and 43.8235 for IAT) fulowed by the values of dancers (21,7228 for IVP and 30.523.4 for LAT) and controls (15.6229, for IVT and 20.621.7 for IAT). When theVOrga, Was expressed in percent of VOpygaq, the values at IAT were significantly di ferent between all groups (gymnasts: $4.920.7; dancers: 64,024.1; controls: §9.722.4) while at IVT no difference was found between dancers and controls (45.624.1 and 48.216, respectively). At maximal effortVOo was significantly higher ‘bath in gymnasts and dancers (S1.7ad4 and 47 523.0 mike, respectively), than in eanteals (34.5=2.5 mMkg-hmin) Conclusions. AlthoughVO yy 4s similar between, gymnasts and dancers, VO values at NT and LAT were able to discrim- inate the higher level of fitness in gymnasts with respect to dancers. Key woro: threshold, + Adolescent - Ballet - Lactic acid blood ~ Aerobic here has been an increasing number of adoles- cents training and competing in rhythmic gym- Aces eprint requests oC. Baldr stato Universitario i Seienze Motori, Piazea Lauro De Bosi 13, 00194 Roma, aly. E-mail baldancarlo@ hotmaileom Waal -Nod “THE JOUROUML OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS ©. BALDARS, L. GUIDETTI From the University Instiue of Motor Sclences, Rome, lealy nasts, since its inclusion in Olympic activities. The routines performed in competition are based on dif- ficult motor skill and accuracy skills such as ability to tack an object. Moreover, to be successful in this, sport, gymnasts must show grace, poise, and coordi- nation t@ music. Rhythmic gymnasts can improve their grace, poise and self-control by means of clas- sical dance training! Ballet dancing is an activity with physical requirements somewhat similar to rhythmic gymnastics although the intensity is fairly reduced due to longer work bouts in dancing (1-4 min) as compared to rhythmic routines (60-90 sec). In thythmic gymnastics classical dance is used as non- specific waining, in classical dance no activities oth- er than dancing are included in training, It may be argued that this different construction of the training planning is likely to produce a different level of fit ness. Few reports give us information on the level of fit- ness in both adolescent rhythmic gymnasts and ballet dancers. The maximal oxygen intake (VO,n,.) 8S assessed in ballet dancers? and in rhythmic gym- nasts.! 6 In riaythmic gymnastic, higher VOsmyx values, were described in elite than in subelite athletes $ Similarly, in classical ballet the highest VOzqq, values nmDALDARE ‘TaBLel —Age, height, weight and BMI, in elite rhythmic gyanasts (groun Alin jemate ote dances group B} and conto Sour arabe GroupaGe2) — GreapB ot). G Age rs) lade wasi7 Heighicm) 598288 39.3848 Weigh (ke ksi W662" BME (kg/m) iss0.6" Tis er 79-005 4 group C ‘were found in professional dancers. When gymnasts competing at the same elite level were compared, a poor correlation between VOpq, and performance ‘was observed.® A similar poor correlation between VOna, and performance has been reported for elite endurance athletes! whereas a sttong relationship between endurance performance and threshold-relat- ced variables (at aerobic threshold, anaerobic thresholds, individual anaerobic threshold, etc.) was observed." This suggested that threshold. related variables might be more sensitive indicators of training adaptations han VOomge! 9 We recently reported that during a rhythmic rou- tine the gymnast performed at lactate (La) and HR values of her individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) confirming the hypothesis of others! that the IAT would, be a critical factor in routine performance.}¢ The IAT represents the maximal workload where production and elimination of lactate are in equilibrium, thus over the IAT there is a net and continued accumulation of lactate in muscle and in blood, The acidosis associat- ed with lactate accumnilation has several adverse effects, on the contractile process in muscle, so that it could impair a performance based on grace, postural con- trol and coordination choreographed to music. Ballet dancing has been considered an activity demanding physical requirements similar to rhythmic gymnas- {ies and it has been suggested that a high IAT would be an advantage in performance. However, IAT has been, studied only in gymnasts! and not in dancers. Moreover, thete is lack of information on individa- al ventilatory threshold (IVT) both in gymnasts and in dancers, ‘The purpose of the present study was to examine VO may: LAT, and IVT in thythmic gymnasts and in young female classical dancers in order to quantify the fitness level and also to provide a guideline for an ade quate training intensity level! 1617 (around the LAT), vs ‘THE JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS ‘YOpqay, VENTILATORY AND ANAERODIC THRESHOLDS IN RHYTHMIC GYMNASTS AND YOUNG FEMALE DANCERS Materials and methods Subjects Thirty-two female subjects ranging between 13-16 years of age participated as volunteers in this stady after informed consent forms were signed by their pa ents, All subjects were: 1) healthy and in good nutri- tional status, 2) postmenarcheal girls ranging, in age from 13 to 16 years. The subjects were divided into three groups: twelve elite rhythmic gymnasts (group A), eight ballet dancers (group B), and 12 sedentary controls (group C). Subjects included in the A and B groups were selected with the following characteris- tics: attending gymnastics or dance on average 10-12 hrs per week over a period of at least 4 years. The rhythmic gymnasts were all competitive Italian athletes participating in national and international champion- ships. Ballet dancers were attending private schools, and were selected for aesthetic or technical talent that had won them the admission to the “Accademia Nazionale di Danza” the Italy's Academy of Dance. The control group was on the same age range and was not involved in any regular physical activities. The physical characteristics of the subjects are presented in ‘Table I. Each subject underwent the same protocol procedures: metabolic assessment for VOsmax. IAT, and IVT determined during an incremental test on a treadmill ‘Treadmill test protocol ‘The treadmill test consisted of a 3-min level watking, ‘warm-up at 6 kaw/hr, followed by an incremental pro- tocol designed as follows: running speed increased 1 awe every 3 min up to the workload during which the second increment in La (20.5 mmol, see sec- tion: Determination of ventilatory and metabolic para. eters) was measured. Then, the slope was increased 2% every | min for trained or every 2 min for untrained subjects. This difference in protocol between trained and untrained subjects was given in order to reach the max- imal oxygen uptake in a similar amount of time. All sub: jects were urged to complete the highest work level possible. When the VOana Was obtained, it followed an active recovery of | min level walking at 5 kzw/hr. Metabolic data collection VOW and heart rate (HR) were recorded as averaged values every 30 sec, during the treadmill test by a tele- one 2001‘VOnmay VENTILATORY AND ANAEROBIC THRESHOLDS IN RHYTHMIC GYMNASTS AND YOUNG BEMALE DANCERS ‘TABLE IL —Treadnilexeeive data in lite shythonic aymnatts (group BALDARI A) meme ballet dancers (group 8) and controls (group C) Voces Grupa od Gove (8) Group Cina eerie Individual yenatory eeshold [aetae (anol 1) 24203 21404 22405 FRR (beat in") iia irre 13545" —Inaividal ansesobic theses ‘caeate(ounal 4.0104 4020.3 35404 FIR (bests me") shen letese issu Maximal efor THR (beats min) rise 19526 19747 —Posesecise 3 Lactate (mmol) 9.0827 75s21 62e17 6 Lactate (rural) Tse 62512 penn 10° Lactate (mol }) ose S834 33e1 pcs wearoup A905 ve ou BI pS groupe, metric oxygen uptake open-circuit system (K2 COS- MED), To determine the oxygen consumption at indi- vidual ventilatory and anaerobic thresholds, the aver- age ofthe last minute of each corresponding level was used. Determination of blood lactate was carried out using capillary blood from a fingertip. Blood lactate con- centration was immediately analyzed during the tread mill test using an Accuspodt Lactate Analyzei:!® Blood lactate evaluations were performed at the 3+ minute of 2 given work load, for each work level until the work- load subsequent ‘© that corresponding to the IAT. Blood lactate determinations were performed also at the 3, 6 and 10°” min of the recovery phase. Determination of ventilatory and metabolic parame- ters Maximal WO, was identified according to the follow ing criteria: 1) the occurrence of a plateau of VO; despite further increases in the workload; 2) the increase in VO, <1 mikg"/min" in comparison with that produced by the previous workload. 9 The individ ual ventilatory threshold (IVT) was determined off- line for each subject, as the level of VO, at which we observed the lawer Value of the ventilatory equivalent of oxygen calculated from an indivicwal VO, versus Ve/VO> plot?! To determine the individual anaero~ bic threshold (IAT) an individual VO, versus La curve had to be plotted. However, in tests with workload duration of 3 min per level, due to time delay diffusion of lactate in blood, the workioad at which lactate was vol aieNod “THE JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FIINESS measured would result to overestimate the effective corresponding workload. Thus, each lactate value was assigned to the workload immediately prior to that ofits measurement and finally the individual VO> versus La curve could be plotted, Consequently, [AT was defined as the workload corresponding to the sec ond lactate increase of atleast 0.5 mmoi-I from the previous value, where the second increase was preat- ‘er (or equal) than the first one,?? Statistical analysis Results are presented as meansSD for each group. The differences between the three groups were evalt- ated by means of ANOVA followed by Student- Newman-Keuls post-hoc comparisons. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results Individual ventilatory and anaerobic thresholds At the individual ventilatory threshold (IVT) the mean lactate level ranged from 2.140.4 to 2420.3 mmol-!" with no difference berween groups (Table ID. At individual anaerobic threshold (IAT), the mean, blood lactate concentration ranged from 3.90.4 to 4,020.4 mmoll"' with no difference between groups (Table I). At the IVT and IAT the VO, expressed in ml-kg--min”! was significantly different between the ‘three groups (Fig, 1), The highest values were found in gymnasts (30.822,6 and 43.835 IVT and IAT, respec- v9BALDARt YOrqu VENTILATORY AND ANAEROBIC THRESHOLDS IN RHYTHMIC OYMINASTS AND YOUNO FEMALE DANCERS «0 100) * ° : oo : = L 4 80, © 40 i # = in| ¢ Ss ; g ° 2 50 2 zo x 2 g ° s P40 t 10. | 30. ¥ oO 20- fl + WT tat WT [ TS Gymnasts (2 Danese Contsols Fig. I-A) Mean (2SD)VO2 expressed in mlicgmin" Spe0.05 versurcomal group. tively) followed by the values of dancers (21.7£2.8 for IVT and 30.5x3.1 for TAT) and controls (15.620 for IVT and 20.6#1.7 for IAT). When the VO, was expressed in percent of Onyx (Fig. 1), the values at IAT were significantly different between all groups while IVT values were significantly higher in gym- nasts with respect £0 dancers and controls (who did not differ each other) ‘The heart rate at LVT was similar for both controls and dancers, Also at IAT the HR was not significantly dif- ferent between controls and dancers. Gymnasts showed the higher HR values both at IAT and IVT (Table 1D Maximal effors and postexercise At maximal effort the mean HR values showed no differences between groups, as expected since the sub: jects of each group were in the same age range (Table TD).VOsna mean values expressed in ml-kg-min-! were no Significantly different between gymnasts and dancers, although both these values were significant- ly higher than the valve of controls (Fig. 1). The max- imal lactate concentration occurred afier maximal physical effort at the third minute of recovery in all groups (Table. 11). Control group had the lowest val- ue, dance group an intermediate value and gymnasts the highest value. The mean value of peak lactate con- centration was significantly different only between ‘gymnasts and contiols. 180 ‘THE JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS, the IVT IAT, and maxima MAX efor; B) Mean (2SD) VO, expressed in % of VO apn stibe VT andIAT in elie hac gymnasts (gymnasts), female ballet dancers (dancers), and eatsals (cones). #=p 05 versus dancers’ 009: Discussion Individual ventilatory and anaerabic thresholds Atthe individual ventitatory threshold, all groups had ‘mean lactate level of about 2 mmol, This is the so- called “aerobic threshold”6 defined as: approximate- ly 2mmol-l+ lactate, first significant elevation of lac- {ate level at che point of optimum ventilatory efficien- cy. This dareshold marks the upper limit of an exclu- sively aerobic metabolism that permits exercise last- ing for hours, ‘At the individual anaerobic threshold, all groups had a mean blood lactate concentration of about 4.0 mmol». This individual lactate threshold defined as workload at which the lactate concentration rose abruptly corresponds to the “anaerobic thresholds 2 defined as: approximately 4.0 mmol‘! lactate steep part of the exponential increase in lactate con- centration. This threshold marks the upper limit of an aerobic-anaerobic metabolism that permits (© prac- tice for 30-60 min at the maximal lactate steady state of about 4 mmol-|,162627 Individual ventilatory threshold had not been previ- ously evaluated both in rhythmic gymnasts and in dancers, while anaerobic threshold was evaluated in rhythmic gymnasts.'¢ In the present study, at the [VT and IAT the oxygen consumption expressed in miskg:-min-' was significantly different between the ne 2001YOtmay: VENTILATORY AND ANAEROBIC THRESHOLDS IN RHYTHMIC GYMNASTS AND YOUNG FEMALE DANCERS three groups. The highest values were found in gym- nasts, followed by the values of dancers and controls, In these latter two groups, when the oxygen consump- tion was expressed in percent of the individual VO age at IVT the values of controls (45.2%) and dancers (45.6%) were similar to values reposted?! 2 for Untrained subjects (from 40 to 44.3%). Although the value of gymnasts was higher (59.9%) it was lower than that reported!® for endurance trained athletes (71%). The LAT values can better point out the differ- ences between groups: the control group had a value (59.7%) typically reported?” for sedentary subjects from 50 to 60%), the rhythmic group had a value (84.9%) similar to that reported'® in endurance ath- letes (from 84 to 89%), and the dance group had an intermediate value (64%), Since the amount of time spentin training was approximately the same for both dancers and gyranasts, to explain the different level of fitness (IVT, IAT) we had to take into account the hypothesis that differences may have been induced by the different design of training programs. In fact, while for rhythmic gymnasts group the training program inctuded classical dance lessons for dancers group the training program did not include any other activity ‘The lower fitness level of dancers group might indicate thatclassical dance training could not improve fitness Iev- el in gymnasts group but could only improve grace and poise. The specific training of rhythmic gymnastics appears to yield a better fitness level. It is therefore pos- sible that dancers, who are not engaged in any other training activity, could improve their state of fitness with the support of an activity considered somewhat simi- lar:7 rhythmic gymnastics. It is possible that other fac tors (genetic, self-selection, etc.) than training coutd ‘pave influenced the fitness level. A factor that could Ihave caused self selection isthe pressure the subjects felt 10 conform to top aesthetic and technical standards: this could have occurred on both ballet dancers and rhythmic ‘gymnasts even though technical standards in each activ ity are somewhat different. A further remark is possible considering the studied age range (13-16 years). Infact, while gymnasts can reach their top competitions levels ‘within this age range, ballet dancers usually reach their top level some years later. This entails that gymnasts are required to reach their highest technical level by the time they are teenagers, while ballet dancers reach their ‘best performance when they are adults. For this reason, training programs for teen-aged rhythmic gymnasts should be heavier than for ballet dancers at the same age. Woh 1-No.2 ‘THE JOURNAL. OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS BALDARI Maximal effort After maximal physical effort, the mean value of peak lactate concentration was significantly different only between gymnasts and controls. The mean value of controls was similar to data of young females (6.422. mmol-l") reported by Komi and Karlsson 20 ‘The mean value of gymnasts, although somewhat dit ferent, was the most similar to that reported by Schantz, and Astrand? for adult professional female dancers QL mmob"). The VOomax Value of rhythmic gymnasts was simi- arto the values reported in literature! $8 for elite rhyth- mic gymnasts (from 49.3 to 50.4 ml-kg-min-)), Montgomery and Baudin®! reported a comparable VOnaq for artistic gymnasts (50 ml-kg:!smin-!) in the same age range. The VOzm., values reported for American female dancers have ranged from 41.5 to 48.9 mike mint 4 The highest VO ymuy Value for female dancers (51 ml-kg"!-min’') was found in adult professionals from the Royal Swedish Ballet 5 In the present study, the elite gymnasts had aVO2pqq value comparable to the other gymnasts, Also the value of the adolescent talented ballet dancers (47.5 ml-kg:!-min:!) ‘was similar to that of the talented young female ballet dancers (48.9 ml-kg:!-min!) reported in literature} so that the gymnasts” group and the dancers’ group we studied can be considered representative samples of adolescents in the relative disciplines. In conclusion, both elite rhythmic gymnasts and dancers were found tohave maximal oxygen uptake values below the aver- age value (62.3 ml-kg'"min-!) for female adolescent elite endurance athletes.*? Although this may not be the ‘only season, we suppose that, as previously reported 2% classical dance as well as rhythmic gymnastics do not require an high aerobic power because both static and dynamic components of exercise are present, invol¥- ing aerobic as well as anaerobic energy-yielding pro: cesses, In fact, we have previously reported that the aerobic and anaerobic alactic sources (49% and 42%, respectively) were the most utilized energy sources. during @ rhythmic routine. Conelusi ns. ‘When the level of fitness was evaluated by means of theVOnnn, No differences were found between gym- nasts and dancers whose values were both significant- ly higher than controls. VO, either as absolute values ie.BALDARI or as percent of VOrq,, at the individual ventilatory and anaerobic thresholds was able to differentiate between dancers and gymrasts. Thus, as suggested by Katch et al. parameters such as HR and VO, meas- tured at less than maximal load (such as [VT and LAT) ‘can be considered to be more reliable indicators for the level of fitness than maximal oxygen intake. The dif- ferent level of fitness observed between rhythmic gym- nasts and dancers might be due to the different train- ing programs, More data on the typical exercises and daily training sessions are needed in order to better understand the reason for the different fitness level between gymnasts and dancers groups. The assess- ‘ment of individual ventilatory and anaerobic thresholds can be useful not only to differentiate the fitness lev- el but also to determine an adequate training inten sity3#6 A training intensity around the IVT would ‘maintain the subject fitness level," while an intensity around the IAT would improve the fitness level." 16 It ‘was reported that when training intensity is set at the IAT, the mean intensity during training determines the extent of adaptation regardless of whether the exer- cise is performed intermittently or continuously.!” Phe La and HR at the TAT might represent a useful meth- od of prescribing an individual's training around the TAT." Ithas been recently suggested that for training and study purposes the exercise intensity should be defined in relation to the LAT (and not only tOVOamaq, OT FR)? References 1. 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