Isovelocity vs. Isoinertial Sprint Cycling Tests for Power- and Torque-cadence Relationships

Mehdi Kordi; Jonathan Folland; Stuart Goodall; Paul Barratt; Glyn Howatson

doi:10.1055/a-0989-2387

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Table of Contents

Int J Sports Med 2019; 40(14): 897-902
DOI: 10.1055/a-0989-2387

Training & Testing

Isovelocity vs. Isoinertial Sprint Cycling Tests for Power- and Torque-cadence Relationships

Authors

Mehdi Kordi

¹Department of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

²British Cycling, GBCT, Manchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Jonathan Folland

³School of sport & Exercise Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Stuart Goodall

¹Department of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Paul Barratt

²British Cycling, GBCT, Manchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Glyn Howatson

¹Department of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

⁴Northwest University, Water Research Group, Potchefstroom, South Africa

Abstract

Sprint cycling performance is heavily dependent on mechanical peak power output (PPO) and the underlying power- and torque-cadence relationships. Other key indices of these relationships include maximum torque (T_MAX), cadence (C_MAX) and optimal cadence (C_OPT). Two common methods are used in the laboratory to ascertain PPO: isovelocity and isoinertial. Little research has been carried out to compare the magnitude and reliability of these performance measures with these two common sprint cycling assessments. The aim of this study was to compare the magnitude and reliability of PPO, T_MAX, C_MAX and C_OPT measured with isovelocity and isoinertial sprint cycling methods. Two experimental sessions required 20 trained cyclists to perform isoinertial sprints and then isovelocity sprints. For each method, power-cadence and torque-cadence relationships were established, and PPO and C_OPT were interpolated and T_MAX and C_MAX were extrapolated. The isoinertial method produced significantly higher PPO (p<0.001) and T_MAX (p<0.001) than the isovelocity method. However, the isovelocity method produced significantly higher C_OPT (p<0.001) and C_MAX (p=0.002). Both sprint cycling tests showed high levels of between-session reliability (isoinertial 2.9–4.4%; isovelocity 2.7–4.0%). Functional measures of isovelocity and isoinertial sprint cycling tests were highly reliable but should not be used interchangably.

Key words

maximum power - pedaling - torque - cadence

Full Text

References

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