Heart rate dynamics and lactate following high-intensity race-pace continuous vs interval workouts in highly trained athletes.

AbstractPurposeThe present study aimed to compare the physiological responses of high-intensity race-pace continuous vs. interval workouts commonly used in middle-distance athletics, by means of analyzing post-exercise cardiac autonomic regulation and lactate.MethodsNineteen highly-trained 800-m male runners were asked to run a 600-m race-pace continuous workout and a 2 × 4 × 200-m interval training, counterbalanced and randomized within one week of difference. Blood lactate jointly with linear and nonlinear heart rate dynamics were assessed during the immediate 15-min recovery. Age-category (Under23-Senior vs. Juvenile-Junior) was considered as an inter-subject factor.ResultsPeak lactate w…