Supra-Versus Submaximal Cycle Ergometer Verification of VO2max in Males and Females

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the optimal intensity for verification phase testing (VP) in healthy, young adults. Thirty one young, active participants (16 females) completed a cycle ergometer graded exercise test (GXT) VO2max test and 4 VP tests at 80, 90, 100, and 105% of the maximum wattage achieved during the GXT. GXT and VP VO2max values showed a significant test x sex interaction (p = 0.02). The males elicited significantly higher VO2max values during the GXT, 80%, and 90% when compared to the 105%, (105 vs. GXT: p = 0.05; 105% vs. 80%: p < 0.01; 105% vs. 90%: p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in VO2max across the tests in the females (p > 0.05); 80% of the males achieved their highest VP VO2max during a submaximal VP test compared to only 37.5% of the females. A secondary study conducted showed excellent reliability (ICCs > 0.90) and low variation (CVs < 3%) for the 90% VP. Our findings show that a submaximal verification phase intensity is ideal for young healthy males to elicit the highest VO2max during cycle ergometer testing. For females, a range of intensities (80–105%) produce similar VO2max values. However, the 80% VP yields an unnecessarily high time to exhaustion.

Artificial Neural Network-Based Model for Evaluating Maximum Oxygen Uptake from the Incremental Squatting Test in Young People

“…However, there was no sig-nificant difference in squatting and VO 2 max between the two genders (p > 0.05). This is different from the results of previous studies [42][43][44]. We concluded the following two possible reasons: first, the number of subjects in this test was small and covered a smaller range of oxygen uptake; second, the heart rate was not observed during squatting exercise, so it could not be determined whether the subjects reached exhaustion.…”

Real Assessment of Maximum Oxygen Uptake as a Verification After an Incremental Test Versus Without a Test

“…In our own studies, the warm-up lasted 15 min, including 5 min of VT1 effort and 10 min of effort measured halfway between VT1 and VT2. We concluded that such a warm-up, performed before the verification test on a separate day, may allow to obtain higher VO 2peak values than in the above-cited works (Scharhag-Rosenberger et al, 2011;Possamai et al, 2020;Sawyer et al, 2020). This assumption was supported by the results of our own previous studies (Hebisz et al, 2017), in which we also used a long warm-up time.…”

“…Schaun (2017) also stated that the time elapsed between an incremental test and a verification test is not a key aspect to achieving the verification criterion. Attempts were also made to perform tests to verify VO2max on a different day than the progressive test (Scharhag-Rosenberger et al, 2011;Possamai et al, 2020;Sawyer et al, 2020). Possamai et al (2020) found that during the verification test performed on a separate day, the exercise capacity is greater than during the verification test performed several minutes after the progressive test.…”

“…Possamai et al (2020) preceded the verification test with a warm-up of 6 min and measured the power at the lactate threshold, defined as the first sharp increase in lactate concentration in a progressive test. An even shorter warm-up, lasting 5 min, was used by Scharhag-Rosenberger et al (2011) and Sawyer et al (2020). In Scharhag-Rosenberger et al ( 2011) study the warm-up was done at a speed higher than the lactate threshold speed.…”

“…In Scharhag-Rosenberger et al ( 2011) study the warm-up was done at a speed higher than the lactate threshold speed. Also, a warm-up in the research of Sawyer et al (2020) consisted of 5 min of exercise, however, at an intensity of 50 W (men) or 30 W (women) which is lower than those proposed by Scharhag-Rosenberger et al (2011). Bishop (2003) stated that the optimal warm-up duration before intensive efforts with an average duration should be at least 10 min, which allows the subject to reach steady-state VO 2 .…”