Physiological responses and energy expenditure during competitive fencing

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Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by Calif Dig Lib - Irvine on 12/17/14 For personal use only.

Physiological responses and energy expenditure during competitive fencing Raffaele Milia, Silvana Roberto, Marco Pinna, Girolamo Palazzolo, Irene Sanna, Massimo Omeri, Simone Piredda, Gianmario Migliaccio, Alberto Concu, and Antonio Crisafulli

Abstract: Fencing is an Olympic sport in which athletes fight one against one using bladed weapons. Contests consist of three 3-min bouts, with rest intervals of 1 min between them. No studies investigating oxygen uptake and energetic demand during fencing competitions exist, thus energetic expenditure and demand in this sport remain speculative. The aim of this study was to understand the physiological capacities underlying fencing performance. Aerobic energy expenditure and the recruitment of lactic anaerobic metabolism were determined in 15 athletes (2 females and 13 males) during a simulation of fencing by using a portable gas analyzer (MedGraphics VO2000), which was able to provide data on oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production and heart rate. Blood lactate was assessed by means of a portable lactate analyzer. Average group energetic expenditure during the simulation was (mean ± SD) 10.24 ± 0.65 kcal·min−1, corresponding to 8.6 ± 0.54 METs. Oxygen uptakeand heart rate were always below the level of anaerobic threshold previously assessed during the preliminary incremental test, while blood lactate reached its maximum value of 6.9 ± 2.1 mmol·L−1 during the final recovery minute between rounds. Present data suggest that physical demand in fencing is moderate for skilled fencers and that both aerobic energy metabolism and anaerobic lactic energy sources are moderately recruited. This should be considered by coaches when preparing training programs for athletes. Key words: oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production, blood lactate, heart rate, anaerobic threshold. Résumé : L’escrime est un sport olympique dans lequel les athlètes s’affrontent avec des armes blanches. Une épreuve comprend 3 assauts de 3 minutes chacun avec 1 minute de repos entre les assauts. Il n’y a pas d’études traitant de la consommation d’oxygène et des exigences énergétiques durant les compétitions d’escrime; la dépense énergétique et les exigences énergétiques de ce sport ne sont encore que spéculatives. Cette étude se propose d’évaluer les capacités physiologiques durant une performance a` l’escrime. On évalue la dépense d’énergie en aérobiose et la sollicitation du métabolisme anaérobie lactique chez 15 athlètes (2 femmes, 13 hommes) au cours d’une simulation a` l’escrime en utilisant un analyseur de gaz portatif (MedGraphics VO2000) pour déterminer la consommation d’oxygène, la production de gaz carbonique et le rythme cardiaque. On évalue la concentration sanguine de lactate au moyen d’un analyseur de lactate portatif. La dépense énergétique moyenne au cours de la simulation est (moyenne ± écart-type) de 10,24 ± 0,65 kcal·min−1, soit 8,6 ± 0,54 METs. La consommation d’oxygène et le rythme cardiaque se situent toujours sous le seuil anaérobie évalué précédemment au cours d’un test d’effort progressif; la sanguine de lactate atteint une valeur maximale de 6,9 ± 2,1 mmol·L−1 durant la dernière minute de récupération entre les épreuves. D’après les résultats de cette étude, les exigences énergétiques de l’escrime sont modérées pour des escrimeurs compétents et les deux sources d’énergie, aérobie et anaérobie lactique, sont sollicitées modérément. Les entraîneurs devraient prendre en compte ces données au moment de préparer des programmes d’entraînement pour les athlètes. [Traduit par la Rédaction] Mots-clés : consommation d’oxygène, production de gaz carbonique, lactate sanguin, rythme cardiaque, seuil anaérobie.

Introduction Fencing is a combat sport between 2 athletes who fence each other using 1 of 3 types of weapon (the foil, the sabre, and the épée, each contested with different rules) and who are protected by specific fencing clothing, mask, gloves, and plastrons. Fencing is usually practiced indoors and requires skill, technique, and tactical excellence for success. The competition platform measures 14 m in length with a width of between 1.5 and 2 m. A judge presides over the bout with the aid of an electrical scoring apparatus connected to the target of the fencer (Roi and Bianchedi 2008). The International Federation of Fencing (Federation Internationale D’Escrime) claims 149 member countries worldwide. For instance, there are about 80 000, 60 000, 30 000, and 16 000 active

athletes in France, Germany, the United States, and Italy, respectively. A fencing international tournament may last between 9 and 11 h. Bouts, during which each athlete is engaged in fighting, represent only about 18% of the total tournament time and, in this period, the effective fight time is between 17 and 48 min. Therefore, the length of dynamic phases is unpredictable, but is usually of short duration. Indeed, it has been reported that the duration of every action may be very short and intensive (less than 1 s) or it may last more than 60 s. Bouts are characterized by submaximal intensity preparatory movements, followed by intensive movements of short duration with the aim to touch the opponent (Roi and Bianchedi 2008; Roi and Pittaluga 1997). Taking into consideration these facts, energy requirements in fencing competitions

Received 26 May 2013. Accepted 16 September 2013. R. Milia, S. Roberto, M. Pinna, G. Palazzolo, I. Sanna, A. Concu, and A. Crisafulli. Department of Medical Sciences, Sports Physiology Laboratory, University of Cagliari (Italy), Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy. M. Omeri and S. Piredda. National Italian Fencing Federation, Rome, Italy. G. Migliaccio. Regional School of Sport of Sardinia, Italian Olympic Committee, Cagliari, Italy. Corresponding author: Antonio Crisafulli (e-mail: crisafulli@tiscali.it). Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 39: 324–328 (2014) dx.doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2013-0221

Published at www.nrcresearchpress.com/apnm on 26 September 2013.


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