They studied the effects of age on different physiological parameters, including those derived from the i) maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), ii) moderate-intensity step-transitions and iii) tensiomyography (TMG)-derived variables in moderately active women. Twenty-eight women (age range from 19 to 53 y), completed three laboratory visits, including baseline data collection, TMG assessment, V̇O2 max. test via CPET, and a step-transition test from 20 W to a moderate-intensity cycling power output (PO), corresponding to V̇O2 at 90% gas exchange threshold. During the step-transitions breath-by-breath pulmonary oxygen uptake (V̇O2p), near infrared spectroscopy derived muscle deoxygenation (ΔHHb), and beat-by-beat cardiovascular response were continuously monitored. There were no differences observed between the young and middle-aged women in their V̇O2 max. and peak PO, while the HR max. was 12 bpm lower in middle-aged compared to young (p=.016). Also, no differences were observed between the age groups in τV̇O2p, ΔHHb, and τHR during on-transients. The first regression model showed that age did not attenuate the maximal CPET capacity in the studied population (p=.638), while in the second model a faster τV̇O2p, combined with shorter TMG-derived contraction time (Tc) of the vastus lateralis (VL), were associated with a higher V̇O2 max. (~30% of explained variance, p=.039). In conclusion, long lasting exercise involvement protects against a V̇O2 max. and τV̇O2p deterioration in moderately active women. Novelty bullets: • Faster pulmonary τV̇O2p and shorter Tc of the VL explain 33% of the variance in superior V̇O2 max. attainment; • No differences between age groups were found in τV̇O2p, τΔHHb, τHR, during on-transient.

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