摘要：O’Leary CB, Stavrianeas S. Respiratory Rate and the Ventilatory Threshold in Untrained Sedentary Participants. JEPonline 2012;15(4):1-10. Identifying the transition from mostly aerobic to mostly anaerobic is critical for predicting physical performance and prescribing exercise programs. The ventilatory threshold (VT) is a common gas exchange variable linked to this transition, but its determination requires sophisticated equipment, tester expertise, and money. In contrast, the respiratory rate (RRB) breakpoint has been highly correlated with VT and is easier to establish than VT. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the relationship between VT and RRB holds true in sedentary untrained individuals as it does in trained participants. Seventeen healthy college-aged participants (7 males, 9 females) completed a graded treadmill protocol to exhaustion to establish VO2 max. Ventilatory threshold and RRB were determined during the maximal and a subsequent submaximal test. A 6th degree polynomial regression identified the RRB for both exercise bouts. Dependent t-tests and Pearson’s correlations were calculated between VT and RRB. Ventilatory threshold and RRB from the submaximal exercise were highly correlated (r=.84, P<0.001) and not statistically different (P=.182). The VT and RRB from the maximal exercise were not statistically different (P=0.706), but were not correlated (r=.04, P=0.882). The RRB from both tests were statistically different (P=0.047). Considering the difference in relationship between the two tests, future studies should consider the testing protocol when examining VT. The results indicate that the RRB can estimate the VT in untrained individuals during submaximal exercise.
