Vo2peak Validation Using A Scifit™ Arm Ergometer And Relationship To Performance In Trained Swimmers.

Abstract

Upper body exercise is an important factor in training and exercise prescription in various populations, therefore it is important that we can properly quantify performance as well as provide a means for accurate, consistent testing. Arm ergometery provides professionals the ability to measure metabolic changes in populations who have partial or complete loss of function in the lower extremities (e.g. paraplegics). Arm ergometry may also be a useful testing/training approach for athletes that primarily utilize upper body musculature (e.g. swimmers). PURPOSE: Using trained swimmers, to determine if the Upper Body Ergometer (Pro II Arm Ergometer; SciFit, OK) is i) an accurate and reliable device for the determination of VO2peak, ii) to determine if there was a training effect in an incremental VO2peak protocol and iii) to determine the relationship between VO2peak obtained using this device and swimming performance METHODS: Ph 1: To determine validity and reliability, trained male swimmers (n = 8; 28.5 ± 9.5 yrs) performed two incremental protocols (VO2peak) consisting of a four min warm-up at 15W followed by two min at 50W and progressing 10W every two min until volitional exhaustion. Ph 2: Inter-collegiate Division I swimmers (n=8), also performed a 400 m swim trial following a VO2peak to determine the relationship between VO2peak using this ergometer and swim performance. Pearson's product correlations, ANOVA and reliability were calculated using SPSS 15.0 (SPSS Inc., IL; a=0.05). RESULTS: There was a linear relationship between workload and VO2 in all trials (R =.96; p≤.01) while Cronbach's alpha for test-retest reliability for VO2 was.98. There were no significant differences in performance by trial in WL (p=.272) or VO2 (p=.151). Swimming performance times showed moderately strong negative correlation with VO2peak (R=-.692; P=.039). CONCLUSIONS: SciFit Pro II Arm Ergometer is an accurate and reliable device for determination of VO2peak in trained swimmers and there was no training effect when using this device. The relationship between performance time and VO2peak determined on this ergometer indicated it may be of value as a dry land training device for collegiate swimmers.