Verena Menz

University of Innsbruck | UIBK · Department of Sport Science

This study aimed to test the effects of repeated short-term bouts of hyperoxia on maximal 5-minute cycling performance under acute hypoxic conditions (3,200 m).

Monitoring and evaluating the physiological and performance characteristics of endurance athletes provides relevant information about the long-time athletic development, training process and talent identification. While there is growing evidence for the physiological and performance attributes in junior and professional cyclists, limited informatio...

The purpose of the study was (1) to investigate the effects of regular long-term circuit training (once per week) on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in sedentary adults and (2) to compare training progress with the effects of continued exercise participation by regularly active age-matched individuals. Ten sedentary, middle-aged (51 ± 6 years) indi...

The present project compared acute hypoxia-induced changes in lactate thresholds (methods according to Mader, Dickhuth and Cheng) with changes in high-intensity endurance performance. Six healthy and well-trained volunteers conducted graded cycle ergometer tests in normoxia and in acute normobaric hypoxia (simulated altitude 3000 m) to determine po...

This study aims to evaluate the agreement in maximum oxygen consumption (V˙O2max) between a running protocol and a ski mountaineering (SKIMO) protocol. Eighteen (eleven males, seven females) ski mountaineers (age: 25 ± 3 years) participated in the study. V˙O2max, maximum heart rate (HRmax), and maximum blood lactate concentration (BLAmax) were dete...

In severe hypoxia, single-leg peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) is reduced mainly due to the inability to increase cardiac output (CO). Whether moderate altitude allows CO to increase during single-leg cycling, thereby restoring VO2peak, has not been extensively investigated. Five healthy subjects performed an incremental, maximal, two-legged cycle ergo...

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the power profile of U23 professional cyclists during a competitive season based on maximal mean power output (MMP) and derived critical power (CP) and work capacity above CP (W') obtained during training and racing. Methods: A total of 13 highly trained U23 professional cyclists (age...

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is widely used to improve VO2max. The purpose of this study was to examine if lower extremity HIIT resulted in improved maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and peak power output (PPO) of the upper extremities. Twenty healthy and trained participants (11 female and 9 male, VO2max 3160±1175 ml/min) underwent a 6-wee...

Faulhaber, Martin, Stephan Pramsohler, Linda Rausch, and Verena Menz. Cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses during graded exercise in normobaric and hypobaric hypoxia. High Alt Med Biol. 00:000-000, 2019. Background: The study investigated submaximal exercise responses during an acute exposure to normobaric hypoxia (NH) versus hypobaric hypoxi...

Annually, millions of people engage in mountain sports activities all over the world. These activities are associated with health benefits, but concurrently with a risk for injury and death. Knowledge on death rates is considered important for the categorization of high-risk sports in literature and for the development of effective preventive measu...

The research involves longitudinal performance and physiological variables in U23 and elite cyclists to investigate and better understand the impact of training and racing periods on performance outcomes. Changes in the power profile of elite U23 cyclists throughout a competitive season could provide valuable information about racing demands and th...

Millions of people engage in mountain sports activities worldwide. Although leisure-time physical activity is associated with significant health benefits, mountain sports activities also bear an inherent risk for injury and death. However, death risk may vary across various types of mountain sports activities. Epidemiological data represent an impo...

The purpose of the study was to assess if high-intensity interval training (HIIT) using functional exercises is as effective as traditional running HIIT in improving maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and muscular endurance. Fifteen healthy, moderately trained female (n = 11) and male (n= 4) participants (age 25.6 ± 2.6 years) were assigned to either r...

Purpose: Changes in the power profile of elite U23 cyclists throughout a competitive season could provide valuable information about racing demands and the training process. A rider's power-duration relationship shows a dynamic behaviour affected by training and racing, and repeated computation is required to gain accurate insights into a rider's p...

Objective: The aim of this study was to collect data on the medication and alcohol use in recreational downhill skiers. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The study was conducted during the 2014 winter season in different ski resorts in Tyrol, Austria. Participants were asked to complete a brief survey including questions about basic anth...

Es ist nicht bekannt, ob potenzielle Transfereffekte durch Schwimmtraining auf die Laufleistung existieren, was insbesondere für den Triathlonsport und andere Ausdauersportarten von besonderem Interesse wäre. Im Rahmen unserer Untersuchung wollten wir aufklären, ob ein vierwöchiges Training mit hochintensiven (HI) Schwimmintervallen die Laufleistun...

This study aimed to investigate and compare the effects of repeated-sprint (RSH) and sprint interval training in hypoxia (SIH) on sea level running and cycling performance, and to elucidate potential common or divergent adaptations of muscle perfusion and -oxygenation as well as mitochondrial respiration of blood cells. Eleven team-sport athletes p...

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Mit Zunahme hochintensiven Intervalltrainings (HIIT) im Breiten- und Leistungssport steigt das Verletzungs- und Überlastungsrisiko. Für die Effektivität eines HIITs in ansteigendem Gelände (bergauf) fehlen wissenschaftliche Evidenz und verlässliche Angaben für Intensität, Dauer und Steigungsgrad. Das Ziel dieser Untersuc...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 3 weeks high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO2 slope) in endurance athletes. Sixteen male well-trained (67.72 ml kg min-1) athletes participated in this study. Each participant performed an incremental exercise test with gas analysis (i.e. VE, VO2) and a 400...

Objective To investigate effects of Qigong exercise on cognitive function, blood pressure and cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy middle-aged subjects. Methods Study part 1 examined the effects of Qigong exercise in 12 subjects (5 males, 7 females, aged 52.2 ± 7.1 years) who performed Qigong for 8 weeks (60 min sessions, 3 times/week). Study part...

Performance loss in hypoxia might not only be caused by reduced oxygen availability, but might also be influenced by other factors, as for example oxidative stress, perceived exertion or breathing patterns. This study aimed to investigate the influence of these factors on running performance during hypoxic and normoxic shuttle-run sprinting. Eight...

Introduction: Some mountaineers are more prone to the occurrence of acute mountain sickness (AMS) than others. State anxiety during altitude exposure might be associated with AMS development. We hypothesized that trait anxiety might be higher in AMS cases compared to non-AMS cases. The aim of the present study was to study the relationship between...

The present study investigated effects of pre-acclimatization applying 7 repeated 1-hour exposures to normobaric hypoxia (4500 m) on prevalence and severity of acute mountain sickness (AMS) during a subsequent high-altitude exposure (3650 m) in AMS-susceptible individuals. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial (double-blinded) inc...

Purpose: The present study evaluated the effects of a pre-acclimatization program comprising 7 passive 1-hour exposures to 4,500 m normobaric hypoxia on the prevalence and severity of acute mountain sickness (AMS) during a subsequent exposure to real high altitude in persons susceptible to AMS. Methods: The project was designed as a randomized c...

A higher-than-average maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), is closely associated with decreased morbidity and mortality and improved quality of life and acts as a marker of cardiorespiratory fitness. Although there is no consensus about an optimal training method to enhance VO2max, nevertheless training of small muscle groups and repeated exposure...

This study examined the haematological adaptations to high-intensity interval training (HIT), i.e. total haemoglobin mass (tHb-mass), blood volume (BV), and plasma volume (PV), and its effects on VO2max in well-trained athletes. Twenty-seven male and eight female well-trained (VO2max 63.7 ± 7.7 ml/min/kg) athletes were randomly assigned to the HIT...

The purposes of the present study were to investigate if a) shuttle- run sprint training performed in a normobaric hypoxia chamber of limited size (4.75x2.25m) is feasible, in terms of producing the same absolute training load, when compared to training in normoxia, and b) if such training improves the repeated sprint ability (RSA) and the Yo-Yo in...

The diagnosis and quantification of severity of acute mountain sickness (AMS) continue to be problematic. What symptoms should be included in a score and how to weigh any given symptom in the total score remain matter of debate. Seventy seven healthy male (n=43) and female (n=34) volunteers, aged between 18 and 42 years, were exposed to normobaric...

There is limited knowledge on epidemiological injury data in judo. To systematically review scientific literature on the frequency and characteristics of injuries in judo. The available literature up to June 2013 was searched for prospective as well as retrospective studies on injuries in judo. Data extraction and presentation focused on the incide...