Figure 1.

Mean (±SD) values of the O₂ cost of walking (oxidative energy expenditure per unit of covered distance, calculated as Δ$\dot{V}$O₂ per velocity) during the last minute of CWR exercise at ~60% of GET (moderate‐intensity, left panels) and at ~120% of GET (heavy‐intensity, right panels), before and after CTRL and RMET. In the upper panels the O₂ cost of walking is expressed as mL O₂/m, whereas in the lower panels the variable is normalized per unit of BM (mL O₂/kg/m). Dashed horizontal lines are reference values from the literature (Margaria et al. 1963; di Prampero 1986; Ekelund et al. 2004) for a man with a BM of 75 kg. RMET reduced significantly the O₂ cost of walking. See text for further details. *P < 0.05. Bonferroni post‐hoc tests to locate the statistically significant difference (after vs. before RMET). BM, body mass; CWR, constant work rate; GET, gas exchange threshold; RMET, respiratory muscle endurance training.