Guglielmo, L. G., Santos, A. L., & Gomes, L. P. (2003). Comparison and correlation of the velocity corresponding to the lactate minimum and OBLA. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 35(5), Supplement abstract 643.

Healthy males (N = 12) performed to voluntary exhaustion an intermittent protocol on a treadmill with a starting speed of 10 km/h and increasing 1 km/h each 5 minutes with 20 seconds rest between each stage at a constant grade of one degree. The running velocities for aerobic threshold (2 mmol) and OBLA (4 mmol) were determined. A lactate minimum protocol consisted of two sprints of 233m on an official track, with one minute recovery followed by a progressive and intermittent test on a treadmill with a starting velocity corresponding to an aerobic threshold of 2 mmol, increasing 1 km/h each 3 minutes with 20 seconds rest between each stage at a constant grade of one degree. Blood was drawn from the ear lobe after each stage of the intermittent exercise.

The velocities at aerobic threshold and OBLA were significantly correlated (r = .75). Heart rates did not differ between the two indices.

Implication. The protocols to determine aerobic threshold and OBLA represent 50% of the same physiological phenomenon.

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