Effects of Recovery Type on Blood Lactate and Performance Following Repeated Wingate Tests in Females

The optimal type of recovery to maximize performance and regain homeostasis after maximal exercise in sport has mixed results. There is a lack of research on the effect of a longer duration active recovery protocol on blood lactate and performance in repeated Wingate tests. Also, minimal research exists with females in this area. PURPOSE: To determine if an active recovery of a prolonged duration at a moderate intensity is more beneficial for subsequent anaerobic performance than passive recovery by analyzing blood lactate and anaerobic performance variables across Wingate tests. METHODS: Subjects completed an incremental test to determine their peak power output, and 50% of peak power was used as the active recovery intensity. A 15 minute recovery time frame was used. Blood lactate measurements were collected after the first Wingate, at five-minute increments of the recovery protocol, and after the second Wingate. RPE was also collected after each Wingate test. RESULTS: A significant interaction was found between recovery and time for blood lactate (F = 6.935; p = 0.000). Blood lactate levels were significantly lower for the active recovery trial at all time points of recovery, but no significant difference in performance was observed for any of the variables measured between the passive and active trials. CONCLUSION: Based on previous research, the lower lactate values and performance might not be as connected as previously thought. However, the lower lactate levels can still be beneficial to recovery after intense exercise and repeated attempts, but there may be no effect of blood lactate clearance on performance. It is possible that a buildup of H+ ions decreases muscle cell contractility enough for both recovery types that differences in performance between the two conditions are miniscule and therefore may be negligible when using the current parameters.