This study investigated the effects of full-force bicycle pedaling exercise on deep body temperature and exerted power while wearing kendo-gu with a mask and face shield in a hot and humid environment. The subjects were eight male university kendo athletes. All subjects wore kendo-gi and kendo-gu but the experiments were conducted under two conditions: one with the subjects wearing a mask and face shield and the other without a mask and face shield. The experiments were conducted in a climate chamber with the WBGT (wet bulb globe temperature) set at 28. Intermittent, full-force pedaling exercises using a bicycle ergometer with a 15-minute rest period in between exercises. Changes in core body temperature during rest and the rate of decrease in exerted power during the two full-force pedaling exercises were examined. The results showed that wearing a mask and face shield caused an increase in deep body temperature during the resting period between exercises, and a decrease in exerted power during the post-rest exercise. These results suggest that wearing masks and face shields in a hot and humid environment in kendo training may increase the risk of heat stroke and affects the quality of training.
