A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF GENDER, ACTIVE RECOVERY AND COLD BATH METHODS ON LACTIC ACID LEVELS

This study aims to determine: (1) The difference effect of active recovery and cold bath to lactic acid levels. (2) The difference of lactic acid levels between men and women. (3) The effect of the interaction between recovery method (active recovery and cold bath) and gender of the lactic acid levels after the maximum exercise. The research is using experimental methods research factorial design 2 x 2. The exercise maximum award is 400 m sprint. The population in this study is composed by a number of 32 volleyball athletes, consisting of 16 male and 16 female athletes. Groups of men and women were divided into two groups, each group consisting of 8 people. Each member of the group will be given exercises with maximum intensity of 400 m. After sprint exercise maximum intensity samples were then measured, the levels of lactic acid in the blood (pretest). Next,  do recovery method that is active recovery for 20 minutes and the cold bath for 20 minutes with a temperature of 15⁰C- 10⁰C in the group of men and women. After 20 minutes, the samples are re-measured for the blood lactic acid levels (posttest). The analysis technique of the data in this study is Two Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA Two-Way). 

            The results showed that: (1) There is a significant difference between the active recovery and cold bath  of lactic acid levels, which gained F_(o) at 45.96 and the value of p = .00 (P <.05). Better cold bath method with an average value reducing in lactic acid levels by 4.63 mM/L compared to active methods of recovery with the average value reducing levels of lactic acid of 3.50 mM/L. (2) There is a difference in lactic acid levels between men and women, which gained F_(o) at 14.18 and the value of p = .00 (P <.05). Men are more rapid of reduction lactic acid levels with an average value reducing levels of lactic acid at 4.38 mM/L compared to women with an average value reducing lactic acid levels at 3.06 mM/L. (3) There is no significant interaction effect between recovery method and sex, which gained F_(o) at .16 and .41 p = (P>.05). (1) There are differences between the effects of active recovery method and a cold bath to the reduction in blood lactic acid levels. The effect of cold bath method is better than the active recovery method in lowering levels of blood lactic acid. (2) There are differences in blood lactic acid levels between men and women. The reduction in lactic acid levels in men is faster than women. (3) There is no interaction effect between recovery methods and sex against lactic acid levels. Both groups of men and women have a reduction in blood lactic acid levels that are higher with cold bath recovery methods.