EFFECT OF PASSIVE AND ACTIVE RECOVERY ON THE RESYNTHESIS OF MUSCLE GLYCOGEN

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of passi ve and active recovery on the resynthesis of muscle glycogen after hig h-intensity cycle ergometer exercise in untrained subjects. In a cross -over design, six college-aged mates performed three, 1-min exercise b outs at approximately 130% VO2max with a 4-min rest period between eac h work bout. The exercise protocol for each trial was identical, while the recovery following exercise was either active (30 min at 40-50% V O2max, 30-min seated rest) or passive (60-min seated rest). Initial mu scle glycogen values averaged 144.2 +/- 3.8 mmol.kg(-1) w.w. for the a ctive trial and 158.7 +/- 8.0 mmol.kg(-1) w.w. for the passive trial. Corresponding immediate postexercise glycogen contents were 97.7 +/- 5 .4 and 106.8 +/- 4.7 mmol.kg(-1) w.w., respectively. These differences between treatments were not significant. However, mean muscle glycoge n after 60 min of passive recovery increased 15.0 +/- 4.9 mmol.kg(-1) w.w., whereas it decreased 6.3 +/- 3.7 mmol.kg(-1) w.w. following the 60 min active recovery protocol (P < 0.05). Also, the decrease in bloo d lactate concentration during active recovery was greater than during passive recovery and significantly different at 10 and 30 min of the recovery period (P < 0.05). These data suggest that the use of passive recovery following intense exercise results in a greater amount of mu scle glycogen resynthesis than active recovery over the same duration.