Blood Lactate Kinetic During Continuous Sessions Of Karate Simulated Fights: Aerobic Or Anaerobic Predominance?

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to investigate the energy contribution of aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms during continuous sessions of karate simulated fights using blood lactate (BL) kinetic analysis. METHODS: Twenty-five collegiate karate athletes (mean age of 21 in the range of 19-22), all males and right handed, participated in this experiment. The athletes had 4-6 years of experience of karate training, all with black belts. The test was performed during continuous sessions of simulated fights, with blood collection each 3min (total of 24min) aiming the BL kinetic verification. Anova one way followed by Tukey post-hoc test, when necessary, were used as statistical procedures (p<0.05). RESULTS: The BL values (mmol/L), from 9 to 18min of exercise, for all subjects, presented stabilization. The difference between the mean values in these times did not exceed 1.0 mmol/L, thereby confirming the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS). In relation to mean values of BL equivalent to MLSS, when analysed the 9 (4.1±0.7), 12 (4.5±0.5), 15 (4.7±0.6) and 18 (5.1±1.5) min of exercise, there was no significant difference among subjects. The mean values of BL showed an exponential increase from 21 (8.7±0.6) to 24 (11.9±0.7) min of exercise for all subjects, thus triggering the aerobic to anaerobic metabolism transition. CONCLUSION: Even taking into account that karate is composed by a large number of attacks and defenses of high intensity, the overall metabolic profile of our study remained under the dominance of aerobic metabolism, in the magnitude of 50% of contribution against 25% of anaerobic metabolism. KEYWORDS: Karate; Aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms; Blood lactate kinetic.