Maximal lactate steady state in Judo Introduction

Numberless research articles in sports sciences are aimed to validate evaluation tests of physical capacity that are specific for the reality of the sportive activities1-5, thus stimulating and monitoring the training effectiveness6. Within this perspective, there are few specific tests for judo7. The fact that judo is a complex modality with several body movements and metabolic interactions, makes it difficult to assess the aerobic performance specifically. The traditional incremental test on treadmill or cycle-ergometer exercises do not mimic the specific muscular demand and movement patterns performed during the judo match. Specific evaluation procedure and training regarding aerobic demand could improve performance in judo8. Furthermore, activities lasting more than 3 minutes are strongly influenced by aerobic metabolism9 and considering the overall judo match, the energy aerobic pathway has a relevant role in maintaining the high-intensity of efforts during the fight and for allowing for fast recovery after each effort periods, being the main energy system during the match10. Until at the moment there is a lack in the science of validity specific tests to assess the aerobic demand in judo athletes. Moreover, the specific test for judo in the current literature cannot be used for intensity training prescription. Our hypothesis is the following: a) there will be no statistical difference between RCTrelated intensity and MLSS; b) there will be high agreement between the methods aimed at testing judo. Whether these hypotheses are confirmed, its open a new way for specific training because athlete could train with a specific and appropriate load, without the presence of another athlete (required for traditional UchiKomi). Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to verify the validity of respiratory compensation threshold (RCT) measured during a new single judo specific incremental test (JSIT) (i.e., performed mimicking the UchiKomi drills) for aerobic demand evaluation. Facing this purpose, the RCT measured on JSIT was compared with maximal lactate steady state (i.e., gold standard procedure for aerobic demand evaluating) that represent the upper limit of equilibrium between lactate production and removal11. The advantage to using JSIT is because this procedure needs only one single test, while MLSS requires 2 to 5 days. Original article