Abstract

The purposes of this review are twofold. First, the importance of understanding the influence of a fast (power output increments every minute) or slow (increments every four minutes) incremental test on the changes in gas exchange and acid-base measures that are used to identify the anaerobic threshold is stressed. Second, the controversy that has evolved concerning the concept of the anaerobic threshold is discussed. These areas of controversy include; terminology, the proposed cause and effect relationship between the ventilatory and plasma lactate response, and intra- and interinvestigator variability in the determination of individual anaerobic threshold values. Hopefully, this review will assist in the standardisation of the methods used to identify the anaerobic threshold and reduce the controversy that has developed within this area of research. Verf.-Referat