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.
Highlights
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max ) represents the maximal rate at which oxygen delivery and utilization can occur
The primary finding of this study is that the supramaximal verification phase test (105%) elicited a significantly lower VO2max value compared to the submaximal verification phase testing (VP) tests (80 and 90%) and the graded exercise test (GXT) in males only
Similar to study two above, we found a significant test x sex interaction showing no difference across VP intensities for females but a significantly lower VO2max in the 105% VP compared to GXT, 80%, and 90% VP
Summary
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max ) represents the maximal rate at which oxygen delivery and utilization can occur. VO2max is known as the gold standard measurement of cardiorespiratory fitness and is one of the most common tests in exercise physiology research [1]. VO2max testing has many practical uses including: predicting mortality and disease risk [2], aiding in exercise prescription, tracking changes in cardiorespiratory fitness, testing the efficacy of exercise interventions, as well as many clinical uses in cardiology and pulmonology [3]. The original primary criterion to ensure VO2max had occurred was attainment of a plateau in oxygen uptake during the final stages of a maximal exercise test [4]. Subsequent studies have shown it to be unnecessary for VO2 to plateau to ensure VO2max [5,6]. Most researchers use secondary criteria, Sports 2020, 8, 163; doi:10.3390/sports8120163 www.mdpi.com/journal/sports
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