Cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses to body mass-based squat exercise in young men

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to quantify cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses to body mass-based squat exercise, with specific emphasis on the relationships with the exercise duration. METHODS: Fifteen healthy young men performed body mass-based squat exercise as well as an incremental loaded bicycle test, which determine maximal oxygen uptake and maximal heart rate, with an interval of 2 days between the tests. During both tasks, oxygen uptake, blood lactate concentration (BLa), and heart rate (HR) were determined. Oxygen uptake in both tasks was divided by body mass (VO(2)). VO(2) in the squat task was normalized to VO(2) in the incremental test (%VO(2)max). In addition, electromyograms (EMGs) were also recorded from the vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, biceps femoris, and gluteus maximus. RESULTS: Cardiorespiratory parameters and BLa did not change after 5 min from the exercise onset. The %VO(2)max and BLa during body mass-based squat exercise were significantly related to maximal VO(2) obtained by the incremental test. Metabolic equivalents reached 6.5 when the squat exercise was continuously performed for 5 min. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that (1) the squat exercise adopted here is of moderate intensity and predominantly uses aerobic energy supply after 5 min from the start of the exercise and (2) relative intensity during the exercise depends on an individual’s maximal aerobic power.