Kevin Caen

• PhD in Health Sciences - MSc in Movement and Sport Sciences
• Postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University

Introduction The linear and continuous increase in power output (PO) during ramp incremental (RI) exercise causes a distinct V̇O2/PO relationship compared to constant work rate (CWR) exercise. Current methods enabling a translation of ramp-derived PO to CWR PO assume a linear development of the CWR V̇O2/PO relationship in the heavy-intensity domai...

Purpose The aims of this study were (1) to assess the test–retest reliability of the primary near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) variables (i.e., StO2, T[Hb], [HbO2] and [HHb]) during cycling and (2) to investigate potential influences of exercise intensity and adipose tissue thickness (ATT) on this reliability. Methods 21 men and 20 women completed...

From a physiological perspective, the delineation between steady-state and non-steady-state exercise, also referred to as the maximal metabolic steady state, holds paramount importance for evaluating athletic performance and designing and monitoring training programs. The critical power and the maximal lactate steady state are two widely used indic...

Purpose The aim of this study was to characterize W' recovery kinetics in response to a partial W' depletion. We hypothesized that W' recovery following partial depletion would be better described by a biexponential than by a monoexponential model. Methods Nine healthy men performed a ramp incremental exercise test, three to five constant load tri...

Purpose: The goal of this study was to investigate to what extent acute heat exposure would affect the parameters of the power-duration relationship, i.e. CP and W', using multiple constant workload tests to exhaustion, in women and men. Methods: 24 young physically active participants (12 men, 12 women) performed 3 to 5 constant load tests to d...

PurposeThe aim of this study was to compare critical power (CP) and work capacity W′, and W′ reconstitution (W′REC) following repeated maximal exercise between women and men.Methods Twelve women (\(\dot{V}\)O2PEAK: 2.53 ± 0.37 L·min−1) and 12 men (\(\dot{V}\)O2PEAK: 4.26 ± 0.30 L·min−1) performed a minimum of 3 constant workload tests, to determine...

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the suitability of a single ramp incremental test to predict critical power (CP) and W'. We hypothesized that CP would correspond to the corrected power output (PO) at the respiratory compensation point (RCP) and W' would be calculable from the work done above RCP. Methods: 153 healthy young peop...

Purpose: To examine the differences in training load (TL) metrics when quantifying training sessions differing in intensity and duration. The relationship between the TL metrics and the acute performance decrement measured immediately after the sessions was also assessed. Methods: Eleven male recreational cyclists performed 4 training sessions i...

PurposeThe aim of this study was to examine how respiratory (RT) and lactate thresholds (LT) are affected by acute heat exposure in the two most commonly used incremental exercise test protocols (RAMP and STEP) for functional evaluation of aerobic fitness, exercise prescription and monitoring training intensities.Methods Eleven physically active ma...

Purpose: To analyze the physical profile and training program of a world-class lightweight double sculls rowing crew toward the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Method: A case study in which both rowers performed physical testing in November 2020 and April 2021 (anthropometrics, incremental rowing test, and power profiling). The training program (38 wk) in...

Purpose This study longitudinally examined the interchangeable use of critical power (CP), the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) and the respiratory compensation point (RCP) (i.e., whole-body thresholds), and breakpoints in muscle deoxygenation (m[HHb]BP) and muscle activity (iEMGBP) (i.e., local thresholds). Methods Twenty-one participants were...

PurposeThe aims of this study were (1) to investigate if the respiratory compensation point (RCP) as derived from ramp incremental (RI) exercise could accurately predict the power output (PO) at the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS), and (2) to compare its accuracy with the second lactate threshold (LT2) obtained from step incremental (SI) exerci...

This study focused on the steady-state phase of exercise to evaluate the relative contribution of metabolic instability (meas-ured with NIRS and haematochemical markers) and muscle activation (measured with EMG) to the oxygen consumption (V O 2) slow component (V O 2sc) in different intensity domains. We hypothesized that (i) after the transient ph...

Purpose: The aims of this study were [1] to model the temporal profile of W' recovery following exhaustion, [2] to estimate the contribution of changing V˙O2 kinetics to this recovery, and [3] to examine associations with aerobic fitness and muscle fiber type (MFT) distribution. Methods: 21 men (age=25±2 yr, V˙O2peak=54.4±5.3 mL·min-1·kg-1) perf...

Purpose: To determine if there is a link between the demands of competitive game activity and performance profiles of elite female field hockey players. Methods: Global positioning systems (GPS) were used to quantify running performance of elite female field hockey players (N = 20) during 26 competitive games. Performance profiles were assessed...

Introduction. The purpose was to investigate the effect the recovery intensity domain on W' reconstitution. We used the W'BAL model as a framework and tested its predictive capabilities (W'PRED) across the different intensity domains. Methods. Twelve young men (51.7 ± 5.9 mL•kg−1•min−1) completed a ramp incremental test, three to five constant pow...

In the past 30 years, mathematical modelling of the VO 2 response during metabolic transitions (i.e. VO 2 kinetics) by a sequence of first-order exponential functions has offered a non-invasive means to probe the physiological mechanisms of O 2 delivery and utilization [7, 10]. An alternative second-order exponential fitting has been recently propo...

During heavy and severe constant-load exercise, VO2 displays a slow component (VO2sc) typically interpreted as a loss of efficiency of locomotion. In the ongoing debate on the underpinnings of the VO2sc, recent studies suggested that VO2sc could be attributed to a prolonged shift in energetic sources rather than loss of efficiency. We tested the hy...

Introduction: This study aimed to model the dissociation in the V˙O2/power output (PO) relationship between ramp incremental (RI) and constant work rate (CWR) exercise and to develop a novel strategy that resolves this gap and enables an accurate translation of the RI V˙O2 into a constant power output. Methods: Nine young men completed two RI te...

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of aerobic interval training on muscle and brain oxygenation to incremental ramp exercise. Eleven physically active subjects performed a 6-week interval training period, proceeded and followed by an incremental ramp exercise to exhaustion (25 W min–1). Throughout the tests pulmonary gas exc...

Vermeire, KM, Vandewiele, G, Caen, K, Lievens, M, Bourgois, JG, and Boone, J. Training progression in recreational cyclists: no linear dose-response relationship with training load. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2019-The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between training load (TL) and performance improvement in a homogeneous...

Splenic contraction is an important response to acute apnea causing the release of red blood cells into blood circulation. Current literature shows higher spleen volumes and greater spleen contractions in trained apnea divers compared to untrained individuals, but the influence of training is presently unknown. Thirteen subjects daily performed fiv...

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of different work and recovery characteristics on the W' reconstitution and to test the predictive capabilities of the W'BAL model. Methods: Eleven male participants (22±3 yr, 55±4 mL.min.kg) completed three to five constant work rate tests to determine CP and W'. Subsequently, subjects perfor...

Aims. Apnea training has recently been proposed as a simple and cheap method to stimulate erythropoietin (EPO) production and increase hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and hematocrit (Hct). This study aimed to investigate both acute and chronic effects of apnea on spleen volume and hematological values through an 8-week apnea training program. Method...

Purpose The interchangeable use of whole-body exercise thresholds and breakpoints (BPs) in the local oxygenation response, as measured via near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), has recently been questioned in scientific literature. Therefore, the present study aimed to longitudinally investigate the interrelationship of four commonly used exercise t...