Changes in cardiorespiratory variables and perceived rate of exertion (RPE) were studied in 13 trained men performing cycling exercise before and after beta-adrenergic blockade. Propranolol (Inderal, 80 mg) was administered orally 2 h prior to standardized maximal and submaximal exercises. Muscle biopsies were obtained from vastus lateralis at rest for subsequent histochemical analyses of muscle fiber type distribution and capillary supply. During submaximal exercise O2 consumption decreased from 2.76 to 2.59 l . min-1 following blockade (P less than 0.01), whereas heart rate decreased from 157 to 113 beats . min-1 (P less than 0.001). Maximal O2 uptake was lowered from 3.79 to 3.26 l . min-1 (P less than 0.001) and maximal heart rate was reduced from 192 to 142 beats . min-1 (P less than 0.001) as a result of the blockade. Pulmonary ventilation was unaltered in both exercise conditions. "Local" RPE was higher (P less than 0.001) than "central" RPE after beta-blockade in both submaximal and maximal exercise. During normal condition this difference did not appear. Changes in both local and central RPE during submaximal exercise were positively correlated to changes in O2 uptake. Individual variations in the metabolic profile of the exercising muscle had no influence on beta-blockade-induced changes in O2 uptake. It is concluded that blockade of beta-adrenergic receptors reduces O2 consumption during submaximal (approximately 73% maximal O2 uptake) and maximal exercise in habitually trained men.