Effects of Active and Passive Recovery Conditions on Blood Lactate, Rating of Perceived Exertion, and Performance During Resistance Exercise

Active recovery has proven an effective means in reducing blood lactate concentration ([La−]) after various activities, yet its effects on performance are less clear. We investigated the effects of passive and active recovery on blood [La−], rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and performance during a resistance training workout. Fifteen resistance-trained males completed 3 workouts, each consisting of 6 sets of parallel squat exercise performed at 85% of 10 repetition maximum (10RM). Each set was separated by a 4-minute recovery period. Recovery was randomly assigned from the following: passive sitting; pedaling at 25% of onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) exercise intensity (25%-OBLA); and pedaling at 50% of OBLA exercise intensity (50%-OBLA). Active recovery was performed on a bicycle ergometer at 70 rev·min−1. Performance was determined postworkout by a maximal repetition performance (MRP) squat test using 65% of 10RM. Blood samples were collected: prewarm-up; post-second, postfourth, postsixth, and MRP sets; and postsecond, postfourth, and postsixth recovery periods. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed in [La−], and RPE among the 3 recoveries, with 25%-OBLA lower than passive and 50%-OBLA. Total repetitions to exhaustion for the MRP were: passive (24.1 ± 1.8); 25%-OBLA (29.3 ± 1.8); and 50%-OBLA (23.1 ± 1.7), with 25%-OBLA being significantly greater than passive and 50%-OBLA. In this investigation, active recovery at 25%-OBLA proved to be the most effective means of reducing [La−] during recovery and increasing performance following a parallel squat workout.