Lactate removal during active recovery related to the individual anaerobic and ventilatory thresholds in soccer players

The aim of this study was to compare the
lactate (La) removal during active recovery at three
different work rates below the individual anaerobic
threshold (IAT). Recently, it has been recommended
that exercise intensity should be determined in relation
to the IAT instead of the percentage of maximal oxygen
uptake (V_ O2max), especially for training and research
purposes. Therefore, we defined the recovery work rates
by calculating 50% of the threshold difference (DT) between
the IAT and the individual ventilatory threshold
(IVT) work rates, then choosing the IVT+50%DT, the
IVT and the IVT50%DT. All these work rates fell within
the range (30–70% VV_ O2max) previously reported for
optimal La removal. After a 6-min treadmill run at 90%
VV_ O2max, soccer players [n=12 male, age 22 (1) years]
performed, in a random order, four 30-min recovery
treatments: (1) run at IVT+50%DT, (2) at IVT, (3) at
IVT50%DT, (4) passive recovery. La was obtained at 1,
3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min of recovery. The La
removal curve was significantly affected by treatments
(P<0.01) and recovery timing (P<0.01), with a significant
interaction between them (P<0.01). Although
they were more efficient than passive recovery, the studied
work rates [between 39 (7) and 60 (4)% VV_ O2max)
produced different lactate removal curves. IVT and
IVT50%DT were significantly more efficient than
IVT+50%DT, while no difference was found between IVT
and IVT50%DT for any time point. In conclusion, both
IVT50%DT and IVT were efficient individual work rates
for La removal, and no further La decrease occurred
after 20 min.