Oxygen Debt (Noun)
Meaning
A cumulative deficit of oxygen resulting from intense exercise; the deficit must be made up when the body returns to rest.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- When a person exercises strenuously, they accumulate an oxygen debt that must be repaid through increased breathing after the exercise stops.
- During high-intensity interval training, athletes repeatedly incur an oxygen debt, which is then paid back during the recovery periods.
- The concept of oxygen debt helps explain why people breathe heavily for a few minutes after stopping a vigorous workout.
- Researchers measured the oxygen debt of subjects who had completed a 400-meter sprint, finding significant increases in post-exercise oxygen consumption.
- A person's oxygen debt is a major determinant of their excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, which is an indicator of their overall physical fitness.