Abstract
Little information is available regarding the relative effectiveness of various treadmill
exercise protocols in eliciting maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O2 max) values in children. In this study of 10- to 12-year-old boys, running protocols
produced significantly higher V̇O2 max levels compared with walking, but there were no important differences in continuous,
intermittent, and handrail-supported running schedules. The intermittent run protocols,
however, prolonged the test duration. Studies examining V̇O2 max in children should utilize standard criteria for demonstrating peak oxygen intake.
In this study criteria of V̇O2 plateau, peak heart rate over 198 and respiratory quotient exceeding 1.0 were satisfied
most commonly with running protocols.
Key words
exercise testing - aerobic capacity - physical fitness
