Total and alactic oxygen debts after supramaximal work.

The total and alactic oxygen debts were measured in eight subjects following supramaximal treadmill running (14.5--16.1 km/h, 20% grade) to exhaustion, on two duplicate tests separated by 48 h. Mean total oxygen debts on the two trials were 5.28 +/- 0.42 1 and 4.57 +/- 0.46 1, (r = 0.34). Mean alactic oxygen debts were 2.81 +/- 0.21 1 and 2.74 +/- 0.121 (r = 0.89). Values for maximal total and alactic oxygen debts in this study were in close agreement to those found in the literature. The inability of the subjects to adequately reproduce an exhausting supramaximal effort was the major factor preventing reliable measurement of total oxygen debt. It is concluded that the method developed for the measurement of oxygen debt is both reliable and valid for the alactic portion of the debt.