Author(s)

Salma Abedelmalek, Hamdi Chtourou, Asma Aloui, Zouhair Tabka, Nizar Souissi

Department of Physiology, Sousse Faculty of Medicine, Sousse, Tunisia.
Research Laboratory “Sports Performance Optimization” National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia.

The present study was designed to compare the effect of racial variations on short- and incremental maximal exercises in sedentary men whites (WT) and blacks (BT) Tunisian and South African (SA). In a randomized order, thirty-six physically sedentary men including 12 BT, 12 WT, and 12 SA were asked to perform a force-velocity (i.e., determination of maximal power (Pmax), F0, and V0) and a treadmill maximal aerobic (i.e., determination of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 _max)) tests. Pmax and F0 were significantly higher in SA than WT (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 respectively). However, no significant difference was observed between WT and BT and between SA and BT. Likewise, racial variations didn’t affect the V ₀ values. Moreover, VO2 _max was significantly higher in SA and BT than WT (p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was observed between SA and BT. Compared to white subjects, the present study’ results suggest the superiority of blacks races on aerobic and anaerobic exercises in physically sedentary men.

Anaerobic Performance; Aerobic Performance; Ethnicity

Abedelmalek, S. , Chtourou, H. , Aloui, A. , Tabka, Z. and Souissi, N. (2012) Racial variation of aerobic and anaerobic performances in sedentary men. Open Journal of Internal Medicine, 2, 129-133. doi: 10.4236/ojim.2012.22023.