Int J Sports Med 2007; 28(1): 40-47
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-923856
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Reproducibility of Time at or near V·O2max during Intermittent Treadmill Running

A. W. Midgley1 , L. R. McNaughton1 , S. Carroll1
  • 1University of Hull, Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, Hull, England
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: December 5, 2005

Publication Date:
14 February 2006 (online)

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the reproducibility of time at or above 90 % (t90 % V·O2max) and 95 % (t95 % V·O2max) maximal oxygen uptake during an intermittent treadmill run to exhaustion. Twenty-two distance runners (age 38.0 ± 7.1 yrs) performed two identical incremental and two identical intermittent tests on four separate days. Respiratory exchange was measured continuously throughout each test by an automated open-circuit gas analysis system. The incremental test consisted of increases in treadmill speed every minute until volitional exhaustion. The highest averaged 30-s oxygen uptake (V·O2) value was defined as V·O2max and the minimum speed that elicited V·O2max was defined as vV·O2max. The intermittent test consisted of 30-s work intervals ran at 105 % vV·O2max interspersed by 30-s relief intervals ran at 60 % vV·O2max and was continued until volitional exhaustion. The time that V·O2 was at or above 90 % and 95 % of the mean maximum values elicited during the two previous incremental tests was determined for the intermittent tests. The mean t95 % V·O2max was 232 (SD 174) s and 244 (SD 195) s and the mean t90 % V·O2max was 480 (SD 220) s and 488 (SD 252) s, for trial 1 and trial 2, respectively. Reproducibility statistics for t95 % V·O2max and t90 % V·O2max, respectively, were: 95 % limits of agreement 12 ± 227 s and 8 ± 328 s; coefficient of variation 34.5 % and 24.5 %; and intraclass correlation coefficient 0.80 and 0.75. Statistical power analysis indicated that this level of reproducibility would allow mean differences of 15 - 20 % between intermittent training protocols to attain statistical significance in future experimental research, with sample sizes probably within the resources of most researchers.

References

Prof. Lars McNaughton

University of Hull, Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science

Cottingham Road

Hull HU6 7RX

England

Phone: + 441482466927

Fax: + 44 14 82 46 61 33

Email: l.mcnaughton@hull.ac.uk