Exercise responses to in-line skating: comparisons to running and cycling.

A comparison of the physiological responses to in-line skating with the more traditional modes of exercise training has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to examine the physiological responses to in-line skating compared with running and cycling. Nine trained volunteers (2 male, 7 female) performed 3-6 submaximal (30-90% VO2max) workloads with each exercise mode. Oxygen uptake, heart rate and blood lactate were measured during each trial. Across the spectrum of oxygen uptakes studied, heart rate was higher with in-line skating than with cycling or running. At a lactate concentration of 4 mM, oxygen uptake was less for in-line skating and cycling than for running. Therefore, while in-line skating may be an effective mode of aerobic exercise, the training adaptations for in-line skating at 4 mM lactate may not be as great as for running, and at a given HR may be less than for running and cycling.