The aim of this study was to verify the effect of selected loads and the model used to determine CP in the arm ergometer. Eight active males apparently healthy participated in the study. The subjects performed 4 tests with constant loads maintained until the voluntary exhaustion in the arm ergometer (UBE 2462-Cybex). The loads were individually selected to induce fatigue between 1 and 15 minutes. For each subject, the determination of CP was accomplished by two linear models: power-1/time and work-time. In each model, the CP was calculated using: all power outputs (1), the three highest (2), and the three lowest outputs (3). The CP in the power-1/time and work-time models for the condition 3 (177.5 + 29.5; 173.9 + 33.3, respectively) were lower than for the condition 2 (190.5 + 23.2; 183.4 + 22.3, respectively), no difference existing between condition 2 and 1 (184.2 + 25.4; 176.4 + 28.8, respectively). The CP determined in the power-1/time model for conditions 1 and 2 were higher than in the work-time model, no difference existing for condition 3. It can be concluded that the selected loads and the model used interfere in the determination of CP during arm crank exercise, and can modify the time to exhaustion during submaximal exercise performed in relative loads to CP.
Critical power; Linear model; Time to exhaustion; Arm ergometer
