Energy cost and energy sources of a ballet dance exercise in female adolescents with different technical ability

This study evaluated energy cost and energy sources of a ballet exercise (grand adage) in young female dancers with different technical ability, and then related the energy sources to the subject's VO2max and anaerobic threshold (IAT). Twenty-five dancers (13-16 years) were divided into two different technical ability groups: low-level (n = 13) and high-level (n = 12). The overall energy requirement of dance exercise (VO2eq) was obtained by adding the amount of VO2 during exercise above resting (aerobic source or VO2ex) to the VO2 up to the fast component of recovery (anaerobic alactic source or VO2al) and to the energy equivalent of peak blood lactate accumulation (anaerobic lactic source or VO2la) of recovery. VO-2eq of exercise amounted to 81 ± 10 and 94 ± 9 ml kg-1 in low-level and high-level groups, respectively. VO2ex represented the higher fraction (65 ± 4% and 77 ± 5%) in low-level and high-level groups, respectively, of VO2eq in both the groups. In the low-level group the remaining fractions were: 23 ± 2 % for VO2al and 12 ± 1% for VO2la-. In high-level group the remaining fractions were: 18 ± 2 % for VO2al and 4 ± 1% for VO2la-. Between two groups, significant differences were found in VO2ex (P < 0.01), VO2la- (P < 0.01), and VO2al (P < 0.05). IAT was 55 and 60% of V̇O2max for low-level and high-level dancers, respectively. Low-level dancers performed more exercise above IAT than high-level. For these reasons, it should be better to define exercise intensity according to the IAT parameter and not only to V̇O2max. © Springer-Verlag 2008.