Is blood lactate removal during water immersed cycling faster than during cycling on land?

The aim of the present study was to compare lactate removal during active recovery performed during cycling in water immersion (CW) and during cycling on land (CL), after a similar exercise bout in male adults. Eleven healthy and physically active men, aged between 20 and 26 years old participated in the experiment. Before the experimental tests, the ventilatory threshold of the subjects was determined. Each subject completed the experimental tests twice, with one week separating the two periods of experiment. The subjects exercised on the treadmill during 6 min at a speed 10% above the speed corresponding to their ventilatory threshold. Subsequently, the subjects recovered from the exercise bout either on a stationary bike (CL) or on a aquatic-specific bike (CW). On the subsequent week the subjects performed the same protocol but with a different recovery condition. Recovery condition assignment for the first test was counterbalanced (six subjects started with one condition and five with the other). Capillary blood samples were collected after each test and during the recovery period (at 3, 6, 9 and 15 minutes) and blood lactate was measured. The blood lactate values during CW were lower than during CL and significant differences were observed at the 6(th) minute (p ≤ 0.05) and at the 15(th) minute of recovery (p ≤ 0.05). Therefore, we may conclude that active recovery using cycling in water immersion may be more efficient than cycling on land for blood lactate removal. Key pointsPrevious studies have found positive effects of half liquid environment on blood lactate removal.However, few studies have compared lactate removal in half liquid and in dry land conditions with the use of stationary bikes.We have compared the lactate removal during active recovery on half-liquid cycling and active recovery on dry land cycling after a similar exercise bout in male adults.The blood lactate values during the recovery were lower after half-liquid cycling when compared with dry land cycling and significant differences were observed at the 6(th) minute and at the 15(th) minute of recovery.We may conclude that active recovery using half-liquid cycling may be more efficient than dry land cycling for blood lactate removal.