Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a self-selected pace during an incremental running test to volitional exhaustion on the attainment of VO2max values. METHODS: Thirteen aerobically-trained females (22.4 ± 1.66 years, 1.63 ± .05 m, 57.3 ± 10.2 kg) with prior experience in VO2max testing and RPE volunteered to participate in the current study. Each subject completed a ramp protocol (TVO2) whereby the speed of the treadmill was increased by 1 km/hr every minute until volitional fatigue and a self-paced protocol (EVO2) whereby each subject was able to self-select the treadmill speed to correspond to predetermined RPE values that were increased during 5 x 2-min stages. The treadmill gradient was set at 1% for each protocol and the subjects completed each protocol in a randomized order. The variables of VO2max, running velocity at fatigue, time to exhaustion, and thermal sensation during each protocol were compared using paired t-tests with alpha ≤0.05. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in VO2max (43.18 vs 43.33 ml/kg/min, p=.790) and running velocity at fatigue (14.9 vs 14.7 km/hr, p=.530) between the two protocols, while time to exhaustion was significantly longer during TVO2 (671.5 vs 592.7 s, p=.003). Additionally, there was no significant difference in perceived heat between the protocols (3.9 vs 3.8, p=.387). Based on the VO2max criteria selected, 7 of the 13 subjects achieved VO2max in each protocol. CONCLUSION: Although VO2max values were not significantly different between the protocols, subjects predominately exercised at a lower intensity and for a shorter (finite) duration of time during EVO2. These findings may be accredited to the closed-loop design that enabled subjects to develop a pacing strategy for optimal performance. This has implications for future studies whereby similar VO2max values can be found using an experimental design that better resembles conditions encountered outside the laboratory.
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