The objective of this study was to compare the 4 mM (AT4) and Dmax methods for lactate threshold determination. Ten male (23.7 ± 3.33 years) and four female rowers (18 ± 0.81 years), divided into three groups: heavy weight (n = 6), light weight (n = 4), and female (n = 4), (87.23 ± 6.10, 73.22 ± 2.38, 63.27 ± 8.86 kg and 187.66 ± 1.63, 183 ± 6.05, 172 ± 5.16 cm respectively), were submitted to a maximal rowing ergometry, with initial workload of 130 to 150 W and increases of 30 to 50 W every 5 minutes, with 1 minute pause for blood sampling. Power output, heart rate and lactate values were determined at every workload and used for the determination of the thresholds according to both methods. Lactate concentration, power output and heart rate, identified by Dmax method were compared with the AT4 method in the heavy weight (3.01 ± 0.73 vs. 4 mM, 268.33 ± 29.44 vs. 312 ± 44.02 W and 164 ± 4.81 vs. 174 ± 10.09 bpm), light weight (2.51 ± 0.53 vs. 4 mM, 232.50 ± 15.00 vs. 277.50 ± 25.98 W and 160 ± 8.47 vs. 177 ± 3.79 bpm) and female (3.21 ± 0.41 vs. 4 mM, 160 ± 14.41 vs. 167.50 ± 15.00 W and 175 ± 20.42 vs. 185 ± 12.12 bpm) groups through the paired Student t-test, being significantly lower (p < 0.05) when the method Dmax was used. The results suggest that the AT4 method overestimates the variables analyzed in the lactate threshold when compared with the Dmax method.
Rowing; Lactate anaerobic threshold
