The individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) is defined as the highest metabolic rate at which blood lactate (LA) concentrations are maintained at a steady-state during prolonged exercise. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of active and passive recovery on the determination of IAT following both a submaximal or maximal incremental exercise test. Seven males (VO2max = 57.6 +/- 5.8 ml.kg-1.min -1) did two submaximal, incremental cycle exercise tests (30 W and 4 min per step) and two maximal incremental tests. Blood was sampled repeatedly during exercise and for 12 min during the subsequent recovery period, which was passive for one submaximal and one maximal test and active (approximately 35% VO2max) during the other tests. An IAT metabolic rate and power output were calculated for the submax-passive (IATsp, LA = 1.85 +/- 0.42 mmol.l-1), max-passive (IATmp, LA = 3.41 +/- 1.14 mmol.l-1), submax-active (IATsa, LA = 2.13 +/- 0.45 mmol.l-1) and max-active (IATma, LA = 3.44 +/- 0.73 mmol.l-1) protocols. At weekly intervals, the subjects exercised for 30 min at one of the four IAT metabolic rates. Active recovery did not affect the calculation of IAT, but following the maximal incremental tests, IAT occurred at a higher (p less than 0.05) power output, absolute VO2 and %VO2max (71% VO2max) compared with the IAT determined with the submaximal incremental tests (61% VO2max).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)