RELIABILITY OF THE 30 SECOND CYCLE WINGATE ANAEROBIC TEST IN COLLEGE-AGED INDIVIDUALS

Abstract

The 30sec cycle Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) is a popular laboratory assessment of peak power (PP) (1st 5sec), mean power (MP) (30sec duration) and fatigability (F) (PP-minimum)/PP) of the lower body. PURPOSE: To establish the reliability of the WAnT utilizing 3 trials, separated by 48hrs, in 24 college-aged (23 ± 3yrs) men (n = 12) and women (n = 12). Since the WAnT may be used to establish the efficacy of lower body, anaerobic training a 4th trial 1-month (± 2 days) after the 3rd trial was performed to assess the effect of a longer period of time on reliability when subject characteristics remained similar. METHODS: All trials were conducted at the same time of day. Since alterations in leg volume may contribute to changes in power output, total leg volume was determined prior to each trial with water displacement. Subjects performed a 6min warm-up at 20% of assigned resistance and a maximal sprint for 10sec at minutes 4 and 5. The WAnT was performed following 5min of seated rest. The subject pedaled against a resistance of 0.87 or 0.85 kg/kg BW (males and females, respectively) beginning from a 3sec sprint against the cycle's inertial resistance. RESULTS: Mean right and left total leg volumes were not different (p > 0.05) among trials and the Intra-Class Correlations within each leg and trial ranged from 0.98–0.99. PP, MP and F were not different among trials. Mean values for trials 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, were PP (920 ± 286, 931 ± 286, 943 ± 286, 932 ± 273watts), MP (608 ± 186, 609 ± 183, 613 ± 186, 607 ± 180watts) and F (55.1 ± 5.4, 55.9 ± 6.7, 56.0 ± 6.0, 56.0 ± 6.9%). Reliability of PP, MP and F across all trials was assessed with Intra-Class Correlations (PP = 0.98, MP = 0.99, and F = 0.92). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that in college-aged males and females where total leg volume remains constant, the WAnT is a reliable tool for the assessment of power output and may further offer a reliable method to establish the efficacy of a lower body, anaerobic training program.