Dr. Biol. T.F. Abramova¹
PhD A.I. Golovachev¹
PhD T.M. Nikitina¹
A.V. Polfuntikova^1
1Federal Scientific Center for Physical Culture and Sports (VNIIFK), Moscow

Corresponding author: atf52@bk.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to offer workout intensity management standards for the 6-7 year-old wrestlers based on the energy mechanisms functionality and physical fitness tests and analyses.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for the study, on the family and coach’s consent, three 7 year-old freestyle wrestlers having a two-year training experience, and tested them for: physical development (including body length and mass, BMI, muscle and fat mass, vital capacity, blood pressure and heart rate tests), physical fitness (including carpal strength, flexibility, standing long jump, shuttle sprint tests); speed-stepping treadmill tests till muscular failure (1.75 m/s stepped up by 0.25 m/s every 2 min). Exhaled carbon dioxide/ oxygen (CO2/ O2) was tested by Metalizer II Gas Analyzer test system (Cortex, Germany) and HR was tested prior to, during and after workouts with an ECG support. Blood lactate levels were tested after every workout stage in the rehabilitation process. The tests were designed to fix the maximal aerobic capacity, anaerobic threshold and oxygen uptake efficiency ratio. The anaerobic threshold range was verified by the pulmonary ventilation maximums with ventilation equivalents versus the lactate variations to obtain indirect anaerobic threshold rates and limits for the workout intensity zones.

Results and conclusion. Despite the individual differences in the run times and speeds and physiological energy costs, every sampled athlete was tested to mobilize mostly the anaerobic energy mechanisms in the failure workout tests, with the relative energy demand kept at certain level; and the same applies to efficiency of the aerobic-anaerobic transition mechanisms, whilst the lactic efficiency was tested relatively low. The study to produce the workout intensity zoning by the anaerobic metabolism threshold related HR found the age-specific threshold achieved at 170+ beats/min.

The key finding of the study is that the 6-7-year-old wrestlers’ anaerobic threshold is attained at 170+ beats/ min and may be effectively used for the workout zoning purposes. Workout intensities in excess of this level may result, as we found, in irregularities of the cardiovascular system adaptation to the sport-specific workloads in long-time trainings.

Keywords: physical working capacity, functionality of energy mechanisms, cardio-respiratory system, 6-7-year-old athletes.

Background. Physical and functional progress in underage sports is known to be facilitated by prudently designed and managed workouts with due age-sensitive customization and individualization specifics different from the traditional adult standards [4]. Permissible workout intensity levels will be determined by the individual age-specific functionality, energy mechanisms efficiency and cardio-respiratory system health tests [2, 4-7]. The age-related muscular performance is largely determined by the energy mechanisms formation and progress timeframe, with the aerobic mechanisms formation and functions known to be dominant in the pre-pubertal period followed by a faster progress in the anaerobic ones as soon as the puberty comes [2, 4].

Objective of the study was to offer workout intensity management standards for the 6-7 year-old wrestlers based on the energy mechanisms functionality and physical fitness tests and analyses.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for the study, on the family and coach’s consent, three 7 year-old freestyle wrestlers having a two-year training experience, and tested them for: physical development (including body length and mass, BMI, muscle and fat mass, vital capacity (VC), blood pressure and heart rate tests), physical fitness (including carpal strength, flexibility, standing long jump, shuttle sprint tests) [1]; speed-stepping treadmill tests till muscular failure (1.75 m/s stepped up by 0.25 m/s every 2 min). Exhaled carbon dioxide/ oxygen (CO2/ O2) was tested by Metalizer II Gas Analyzer test system (Cortex, Germany) and HR was tested prior to, during and after workouts with an ECG support. Blood lactate contents were tested after every workout stage in rehabilitation process. The tests were designed to fix the maximal aerobic capacity (rated by maximal oxygen consumption per kg, MOC/kg), anaerobic threshold (rated by the sprint speed versus the threshold OD) and the oxygen uptake efficiency ratio (OUE). The anaerobic threshold range was verified by the pulmonary ventilation maximums with ventilation equivalents versus the lactate variations to obtain indirect anaerobic threshold rates and limits for the workout intensity zones as provided by J. Skinner, McLellan, 1980 [6].

Results and discussion. The physical fitness / physical development tests found the sample falling within the standard age anthropometrics range [1] and somewhat different in the functionality/ physical fitness test rates, with Athletes 1 and 2 tested highest and lowest on the physical development / physical fitness scales, respectively: see Table 1. The sample was also tested different in the treadmill workout tests, with the run times and speeds varying within the ranges of 5-9 min and 2.13-2.63 m/s, respectively: see Table 2.

Table 1. Physical development / physical fitness tests rates of the sample

Table 2. Physical efficiency/ functionality test rates of the sample

Leading in the tests was Athlete 1 who was tested the highest in the run speed, respiratory ratio and oxidative system capacity tests; the lowest in the pulmonary ventilation maximum test; and the highest in the oxygen uptake efficiency and lactate generation efficiency tests.

These test rates were accompanied by the highest HR, with the highest oxygen pulse indicative of the better oxygen delivery to the working muscles, good energy efficiency and, hence, fast HR maximizing time – with the minimal Stage 1 HR and the highest gap between the first- and last-stage HR.

Athlete 2 with his lowest run time and run speed was tested with the lowest maximal oxygen consumption due to the less active external respiration and high oxygen uptake efficiency in the working muscles, plus the high pulse sensitivity and lowest oxygen pulse, with the sub-maximal lactate level achieved by the relatively less intensive efforts. Athletes 1 and 2 were also different in the anaerobic threshold test rates, with Athlete 1 tested with the highest speed and oxygen demand at lower HR. These results generally agree with the relevant study reports, although we found the higher maximal oxygen consumption and oxygen intake rates at the anaerobic threshold, whilst the maximal lactate levels in the 7 year-old sample were tested close to that in the untrained peers [1, 2].

Despite the individual differences in the run time and speed and physiological energy cost, every sampled athlete was tested to mobilize mostly the anaerobic energy mechanisms in the failure workout tests, with the relative energy demand kept at certain level; and the same applies to efficiency of the aerobic-anaerobic transition mechanisms, whilst the lactic efficiency was tested relatively low – below 5.9 mmol/ l. The respiratory index was tested to vary under 1 – that is indicative of the energy mechanisms being dominated by carbohydrates in oxidation substrates; although it should be mentioned that the lactate accumulation profile appears to somewhat disagree with this assumption and may be rather indicative of heterochrony (timing disharmonies) in the substrate supply for muscular metabolism and ventilation-perfusion ratio (respiratory index) – explainable by the age-specific functional disharmony of the external respiration and blood circulation systems [1].

The sample was also tested with fairly close cardiovascular system activity test rates and HR maximizing time both in response to the top-intensity workouts and at the anaerobic threshold level – that may be indicative of the leading role of autonomic responses in the circulatory system under muscular stress, in the context of the age-specific disharmonies in the respiratory and anaerobic-lactate energy supply systems [1].

It may be pertinent to mention in this context the wide variation of test rates in the workout process (Table 2), with the highest variability (%) typical for the cardiovascular system reserve related test rates, and the lowest variability found for the physiology-related ones.

The study to produce the workout intensity zoning by the anaerobic metabolism threshold related HR found the age-specific threshold achieved at 170+ beats/min.

Conclusion. The key finding of the study is that the 6-7-year-old wrestlers’ anaerobic threshold is attained at 170+ beats/ min and may be effectively used for the workout zoning purposes. Workout intensities in excess of this level may result, as we found, in irregularities of the cardiovascular system adaptation to the sport-specific workloads in long-time trainings.

References

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