Free Plasma Catecholamines, Heart Rates, Lactate Levels, and Oxygen Uptake in Competition Weight Lifters, Cyclists, and Untrained Control Subjects* **

Responses of free plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline were evaluated in 10 competition cyclists, 8 competition weight lifters, and 9 untrained control subjects during exhaustive, incremental cycling. Ergometric performance and oxygen uptake ability were 403 +/- 20 W and 65.8 +/- 4.7 ml X kg-1 for the cyclists, 294 +/- 42 W and 47.2 +/- 4.6 ml for the weight lifters, and 296 +/- 40 W and 46.7 +/- 9.4 ml for the control subjects. At 100- and 150-W levels, noradrenaline was significantly lower in cyclists and weight lifters, and in cyclists also at 200- and 250-W levels, related to the other groups. No significant noradrenaline differences were seen between the three groups at their respective exhaustion levels. Compared with the control subjects, adrenaline responses were lower in cyclists and weight lifters at all identical work loads. The weight lifters showed the lowest levels of all three groups, even at their exhaustion level, which indicates an alteration of the adrenaline-noradrenaline ratio. Dynamically and statically trained subjects exhibit a similar training-related control of sympathetic activity. An increased vagal tone, however, only occurs in conjunction with dynamic endurance training.