2024 年 54 巻 3 号 p. 99-111
Anaerobic Threshold (AT) has been commonly used for an exercise prescription in the health and clinical fields, and it is based on the underlying physiological mechanism of chemical energy supply and the O2 transport system. Critical Power (CP) was recently proposed in sports science and is primarily used to estimate performance (i.e., power output). In this review, the detailed nature of CP, as derived from the power-duration hyperbolic curve, is introduced and discussed in terms of physiological responses during step exercise. The CP is distinctly higher than AT and plays an important role in dividing two categories of supra-AT exercise domains: “moderate” to sub-AT, “heavy” to between AT and CP, and “severe” to supra-CP. In addition, some interesting and clinically relevant topics about CP are discussed.
