The Effects of Recovery on Force Production, Blood Lactate, and Work Performed During Bench Press Exercise

Abstract

To determine the effects of active recovery (AR) from bench press exercise, 15 untrained men and women completed four sets of maximum repetition bench presses at 65% 1-RM under two conditions: an AR consisting of riding a bicycle ergometer at 45% peak O₂, and passive recovery consisting of lying quietly on a bench. Time between sets was 2 min and the repetition rate during the sets was fixed at 1 rep per 5 sec for both conditions. Subjects in the AR condition recovered more rapidly between sets and had a larger increase in isometric force across the recovery periods. Although there was a significant baseline to postexercise increase in blood lactate, little difference was seen between conditions. Lack of lactate difference may have resulted from greater lactate production (more repetitions were completed so presumably more lactate was generated) but offset by greater removal of lactate in the AR. The results suggest that recovery following fatiguing bench press sets at 65% 1-RM is enhanced by exercising at 45% peak O₂.