Robustness of a 3 min all‐out cycling test to manipulations of power profile and cadence in humans

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess whether end-test power output (EP, synonymous with 'critical power') and the work done above EP (WEP) during a 3 min all-out cycling test against a fixed resistance were affected by the manipulation of cadence or pacing. Nine subjects performed a ramp test followed, in random order, by three cadence trials (in which flywheel resistance was manipulated to achieve end-test cadences which varied by ∼20 r.p.m.) and two pacing trials (30 s at 100 or 130% of maximal ramp test power, followed by 2.5 min all-out effort against standard resistance). End-test power output was calculated as the mean power output over the final 30 s and the WEP as the power-time integral over 180 s for each trial. End-test power output was unaffected by reducing cadence below that of the 'standard test' but was reduced by ∼10 W on the adoption of a higher cadence [244 ± 41 W for high cadence (at an end-test cadence of 95 ± 7 r.p.m.), 254 ± 40 W for the standard test (at 88 ± 6 r.p.m.) and 251 ± 38 W for low cadence (at 77 ± 5 r.p.m.)]. Pacing over the initial 30 s of the test had no effect on the EP or WEP estimates in comparison with the standard trial. The WEP was significantly higher in the low cadence trial (16.2 ± 4.4 kJ) and lower in the high cadence trial (12.9 ± 3.6 kJ) than in the standard test (14.2 ± 3.7 kJ). Thus, EP is robust to the manipulation of power profile but is reduced by adopting cadences higher than 'standard'. While the WEP is robust to initial pacing applied, it is sensitive to even relatively minor changes in cadence.

Critical power in adolescents: physiological bases and assessment using all-out exercise

“…Second, Vanhatalo et al (2007) used the participants' preferred cadence to set the resistance during the all-out test, whereas in the current study this was assumed to be 75 rpm for all individuals. As a *10 rpm increase from an individual's preferred cadence may impact EP during the 3 min test by *10 W (Vanhatalo et al 2008), the adoption of a fixed cadence of 75 rpm in the current study may have influenced the agreement between EP and CP.…”

Influence of initial metabolic rate on the power–duration relationship for all-out exercise

“…For the familiarization and control tests, subjects completed 3-min of baseline cycling at their preferred cadence at 20 W, followed immediately by a 3-min all-out effort against a fixed resistance as described previously (Burnley et al 2006;Vanhatalo et al 2007Vanhatalo et al , 2008b. The resistance on the pedals during the 3-min all-out test was set using the linear mode of the ergometer so that the subject would attain a power output equivalent to 50% of the difference between GET and _ VO 2peak (50% D) on reaching their preferred cadence (linear factor = power/preferred cadence 2 ).…”

A bioenergetic model for simulating athletic performance of intermediate duration

“…The difference between the exact output of the least squares solver and the rounded parameters was less than machine precision, justifying the use of the rounded parameters. The variable tempo experiment included power and speed from maximal effort cycling ergometer tests (Vanhatalo et al, 2008). Fig.…”

“…One experiment (variable tempo) consisted of maximum effort tests at three resistive loads, with fully rested subjects (Vanhatalo et al, 2008). Power and speed were recorded while subjects performed with low, medium, and high resistances, giving high, medium, and low peak speeds and end-test speeds (see Fig.…”