Anaerobic and aerobic responses of males and females to rope skipping.

Six male and six female subjects performed maximal bicycle ergometer work and skipped rope at selected rates. Measures included oxygen uptake (VO2), oxygen debt (VO2 debt), blood lactate, and heart rate (HR). Mean values for males for the maximum test and while skipping at 120, 140, and 160 turns . min-1 were, respectively: VO2-50.2, 38.3, 39.7, and 44.3 ml . kg-1 . min-1; HR-185, 166, 168, and 178 beats . min-1; VO2 debt--5.70, 3.65, 3.50, and 4.04 liter; and lactate--12.7, 7.4, 7.6, and 9.2 mM . 1(-1). For females: VO2--42.8, 39.8, 39.4, and 39.4 ml . kg-1 . min-1; HR--185, 181, 181, and 181 beats . min-1; VO2 debt--4.71, 4.27, 4.22, and 4.15 liter; and lactate--11.5, 11.5, 12.2, and 11.9 mM . l-1. No significant differences were found between treatments for females for any measure. Rope skipping placed high demands on both aerobic (females, 92% VO2max, males, 76-88%) and anaerobic capacities (females, 100-106% lactate values after maximum bicycle exercise; males, 58-72%). In males, who did not reach VO2max during rope skipping, it was verified that the VO2 requirement does not increase with skipping rate over a relatively wide range, but that extremely high rates do require more energy from both aerobic and anaerobic sources. Differences in tolerance of males and females to rope skipping were attributed to the lower aerobic power and higher body fat of females.