The Importance of Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics for Repeated Wingate-Based Sprint Performance

Boxing is a sport that has a high level of oxygen use within the Rectus Femoris muscle, with recovery between rounds important to subsequent performance. The study aimed to determine muscle oxygen use in male and female professional boxers in response to a repeated sprint stimulus. 10 male (age: 26...

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Main Authors: Andrew Usher, John Babraj
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Muscles
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0413/4/2/18
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author Andrew Usher
John Babraj
author_facet Andrew Usher
John Babraj
author_sort Andrew Usher
collection DOAJ
description Boxing is a sport that has a high level of oxygen use within the Rectus Femoris muscle, with recovery between rounds important to subsequent performance. The study aimed to determine muscle oxygen use in male and female professional boxers in response to a repeated sprint stimulus. 10 male (age: 26 ± 5 years, height: 177 ± 4 cm, weight: 72 ± 6 kg) and 6 female (age: 29 ± 4 years, height: 173 ± 2 cm, weight: 73 ± 4 kg) professional boxers took part. Participants attended a single session where a Moxy near-infrared monitor was placed on the rectus femoris muscle of both legs. Participants completed 2 × 30 s Wingate-based sprint efforts with a 60 s active recovery (maintaining 60 rpm against 50 W resistance). Skeletal muscle oxygenation was recorded throughout. Significant differences were found in peak power, average speed and rate of fast desaturation between males and females (<i>p</i> < 0.001) in both sprints. There was a significant difference in males and females for the rate (sprint 1M: −5.6 ± 1.2%.s<sup>−1</sup>, 1F: −2.3 ± 1.9%.s<sup>−1</sup>, <i>p</i> < 0.05; sprint 2M: −4.2 ± 1.1%.s<sup>−1</sup>, 2F: −1.5 ± 0.9%.s<sup>−1</sup>, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and duration of fast desaturation (sprint 1M: 6.1 ± 1.3 s, 1F: 3.7 ± 2.8 s, <i>p</i> < 0.05; sprint 2M: 7.3 ± 1.6 s, 2F: 4.5 ± 1.0 s, <i>p</i> < 0.05) in both sprints. This study demonstrates that male professional boxers have a significantly different oxygen use and recovery in response to a high-intensity stimulus compared to female boxers. In both male and female boxers, the ability to perform subsequent high-intensity activity is dependent on the quality of the recovery from the initial high intensity activity. Therefore, there is a greater need to focus training to improve recovery kinetics in boxing.
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spelling doaj-art-d4717ce9b3bc43e4b5123dd3ee1eb8b92025-08-20T03:16:35ZengMDPI AGMuscles2813-04132025-06-01421810.3390/muscles4020018The Importance of Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics for Repeated Wingate-Based Sprint PerformanceAndrew Usher0John Babraj1Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Abertay University, Bell St., Dundee DD1 1HG, UKDepartment of Sport and Exercise Science, Abertay University, Bell St., Dundee DD1 1HG, UKBoxing is a sport that has a high level of oxygen use within the Rectus Femoris muscle, with recovery between rounds important to subsequent performance. The study aimed to determine muscle oxygen use in male and female professional boxers in response to a repeated sprint stimulus. 10 male (age: 26 ± 5 years, height: 177 ± 4 cm, weight: 72 ± 6 kg) and 6 female (age: 29 ± 4 years, height: 173 ± 2 cm, weight: 73 ± 4 kg) professional boxers took part. Participants attended a single session where a Moxy near-infrared monitor was placed on the rectus femoris muscle of both legs. Participants completed 2 × 30 s Wingate-based sprint efforts with a 60 s active recovery (maintaining 60 rpm against 50 W resistance). Skeletal muscle oxygenation was recorded throughout. Significant differences were found in peak power, average speed and rate of fast desaturation between males and females (<i>p</i> < 0.001) in both sprints. There was a significant difference in males and females for the rate (sprint 1M: −5.6 ± 1.2%.s<sup>−1</sup>, 1F: −2.3 ± 1.9%.s<sup>−1</sup>, <i>p</i> < 0.05; sprint 2M: −4.2 ± 1.1%.s<sup>−1</sup>, 2F: −1.5 ± 0.9%.s<sup>−1</sup>, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and duration of fast desaturation (sprint 1M: 6.1 ± 1.3 s, 1F: 3.7 ± 2.8 s, <i>p</i> < 0.05; sprint 2M: 7.3 ± 1.6 s, 2F: 4.5 ± 1.0 s, <i>p</i> < 0.05) in both sprints. This study demonstrates that male professional boxers have a significantly different oxygen use and recovery in response to a high-intensity stimulus compared to female boxers. In both male and female boxers, the ability to perform subsequent high-intensity activity is dependent on the quality of the recovery from the initial high intensity activity. Therefore, there is a greater need to focus training to improve recovery kinetics in boxing.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0413/4/2/18NIRSrectus femorisoxygenationWingaterecovery
spellingShingle Andrew Usher
John Babraj
The Importance of Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics for Repeated Wingate-Based Sprint Performance
Muscles
NIRS
rectus femoris
oxygenation
Wingate
recovery
title The Importance of Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics for Repeated Wingate-Based Sprint Performance
title_full The Importance of Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics for Repeated Wingate-Based Sprint Performance
title_fullStr The Importance of Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics for Repeated Wingate-Based Sprint Performance
title_full_unstemmed The Importance of Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics for Repeated Wingate-Based Sprint Performance
title_short The Importance of Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics for Repeated Wingate-Based Sprint Performance
title_sort importance of skeletal muscle oxygenation kinetics for repeated wingate based sprint performance
topic NIRS
rectus femoris
oxygenation
Wingate
recovery
url https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0413/4/2/18
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