Abstract
Abstract The aim of the study was to compare maximum oxygen uptake, maximum heart rate, speed corresponding to VO2max, time to exhaustion, and ventilatory thresholds between two maximal test protocols (scaled vs ramp) with equalized metabolic demand in apparently healthy young adults. Twenty-seven subjects of both sexes were analyzed and submitted to two maximum tests: 1) scaled test with 1.2 km∙h-1 every 2 min; 2) ramp test with 0.1 km∙h-1 every 0.18 min; both with 1% slope and maximum total duration of twenty minutes. Respiratory gas exchanges were directly analyzed, and ventilatory thresholds determined through visual inspection. Central tendency and dispersion measures were adopted, as well as paired t-test and effect size. Bland-Altman analysis verified the agreement among variables. Maximum speed showed significance difference (p < 0.01) for the scaled test (14.0 ± 1.9 km∙h-1) and ramp test (14.6 ± 2.3 km∙h-1). Even with small BIAS values, negative trend and high limits of agreement could be observed. Despite the non-difference presented for variables, except for maximum speed, it could be concluded that the scaled test is able to determine the analyzed variables similar to the ramp test, considering the same conditions of the present study.
Highlights
Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the physical fitness components[1]
The study presented sample composed of both sexes, analysis showed that the existing difference remained in VVO2max for men (t (16) = -2.337 and p = 0.03) and in HRmax for women (t (9) = 3.00 and p = 0.02)
The main findings of the present study were: (i) no difference was found for VO2max, HRmax and Ttotal between TESC and TRAMP, (ii) vVO2max was lower in TESC than in TRAMP; (iii) limits of agreement were high despite the average difference being below one unit for all variables; and (iv) the magnitude of differences determined by the effect size was trivial for all variables
Summary
Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the physical fitness components[1]. Individuals with low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness have increased risks associated with sudden death regardless of cause, while higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness can reduce these risks[1,2,3,4,5]. With technological advances, it has been possible to develop scaled tests (TESC), which are similar to traditional tests, but with greater refinement and accuracy[10,11,12,13]. Initial speed and / or percentage of initial inclination, increment rate per stage in both speed and inclination percentage, stage duration, in addition to time to exhaustion (Ttotal) can be highlighted[14]
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