Development Of A Valid Rowing-Specific VO2max Field Test

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Currently, there are no feasible methods for testing aerobic capacity in the field among rowers. PURPOSE: To produce a valid, field-based VO2 test for rowers using minimal equipment. METHODS: Thirty rowers (15 men and 15 women) between the ages of 18 and 26 years were recruited from rowing clubs within the District of Columbia metropolitan area. The test protocol consisted of a maximum of seven 2-min stages on a rowing ergometer, separated by 30 second breaks during which blood lactic acid concentrations were determined. Intensity level started at 200 W for men and 150 W for women, and increased by 50 W with each additional stage. VO2 was determined by sampling expired gas fractions of CO2 and O2 from a mixing chamber (ParvoMedics 2400; Sandy, UT) and athletes were instructed to row to volitional exhaustion. To predict VO2max from the submaximal data, VO2 was regressed on peak heart rate for stages 1-5 in men and stages 1-4 in women. RESULTS: Approximately 80% of the men and 87% of the women achieved a respiratory exchange ratio (RER) of 1.10 or greater and lactic acid concentrations of 8.87±3.8 and 8.40±4.2 mmol·L-1 were achieved for men and women respectively confirming that athletes performed close to maximal effort. Submaximal heart rate was a significant correlate of VO2, but this relation was stronger in men (r=0.73; p<0.0001) than in women (r=0.57; p<0.001). Further, the VO2max values predicted from heart rate data were approximately 23% and 25% lower than what was actually achieved for men and women, respectively, and the correlation between predicted and actual VO2max was only modest in men (r=0.55; p<0.05) and quite negligible in women (r = -0.05; p=0.85). CONCLUSION: Although this field test was adequate in predicting VO2max in men, it performed poorly in women. The 30-sec rests at the end of each stage may have attenuated the strong linear relation often observed between heart rate and VO2. Moreover, women had greater relative increases in intensity with increasing stage compared with men, which may have prematurely shortened their test. Modifications to the testing protocol should produce stronger correlations and a more accurate prediction of VO2max.