The primaryobjectiveofthisinvestigationwastotestthehypothesisthatvoluntaryreductionsin
exerciseintensityinheatimproveheatexchangebetweenthebodyandtheenvironment,andarethus
thermoregulatorybehaviors.Thiswasaccomplishedbyobservingtheconsciousselectionofexercise
intensityandtheaccompanyingthermaloutcomesofelevenmoderatelyactivemaleswhenexposedto
an uncompensablyhot(UNCOMP)andacompensable(COMP)thermalenvironment.Evidencefor
thermoregulatorybehaviorwasdefinedrelativetothespecific,pre-determineddefinition.Self-selected
exerciseintensity(poweroutput)wasunanimouslyreducedinUNCOMPovertimeandrelativeto
COMP inallthesubjects.Thesevoluntaryresponseswerefoundtomodifymetabolicheatproduction
over timeandthereforeheatexchangebetweenthebodyandtheenvironment.Likewise,theobserved
reductionsinpoweroutputwere,atleastinpart,duetoaconsciousaction,thatwasfoundtobe
inverselyrelatedtothetotalbodyheatstorageandthermaldiscomfort.Therewasnoevidencefor
thermoregulatorybehaviorinCOMP.Thesedatauniquelyindicatethatvoluntaryreductionsinexercise
intensityimprovesheatexchangeovertime,andthereforecontributestotheregulationofbody
temperature.Thesefindingssuggestthatreductionsinexerciseintensityinheatare,bydefinition,
thermoregulatorybehaviors.