Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2011; 32(6): 433-437
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1271770
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Are Peak Oxygen Uptake and Power Output at Maximal Lactate Steady State Obtained from a 3-Min All-Out Cycle Test?

B. Sperlich1 , M. Haegele1 , A. Thissen1 , J. Mester1 , H. -C. Holmberg2
  • 1Institute of Training Science and Sport Informatics, German Sport University Cologne, Germany
  • 2Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden
Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision January 19, 2011

Publication Date:
04 March 2011 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine whether 1) the power output attained in the last 30 s of a 3-min all-out test (Pend) correlates with the power output at maximal lactate steady state (PMLSS) and whether 2) peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) can be obtained from a 3-min all-out test in well-trained cyclists. 18 cyclists (23±3 years; 186.1±6.9 cm; 79.1±8.2 kg; VO2peak: 63.2±5.2 mL · kg−1 · min−1) performed a ramp test, a 3-min all-out test and several submaximal constant 30 min-workload tests at +15, 0, −15, −30, −45, −60,−75, −90 W of Pend to obtain PMLSS. PMLSS was significantly lower compared to PEND (p<0.001; mean difference: 54±18 W) with a high correlation (r=0.93; R2=0.87; p<0.001) but great intra-individual variability (15–90 W). There were no mean differences between the ramp-VO2peak and 3-min all-out cycling VO2peak (p=0.29; mean difference: 133±514 mL · min−1) showing significant correlation (r=0.60; R2=0.37; p=0.006) but great intra-individual variability (1 057–1 312 mL · min−1). We therefore suggest that in well-trained cyclists a 3-min all-out test is 1) not sufficient to obtain PMLSS and 2) should not be applied to assess VO2peak.

Key words

cycling - endurance - humans - lactic acid - male - oxygen consumption

References

  • 1 American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM's Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription .4th ed Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2001
  • 2 Astrand P, Rodahl K. Textbook of Work Physiology. 3rd ed New York: McGraw-Hill; 1986
    Google Scholar
  • 3 Bassett Jr DR, Howley ET. Limiting factors for maximum oxygen uptake and determinants of endurance performance.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;  32 70-84
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Beaver WL, Wasserman K, Whipp BJ. A new method for detecting anaerobic threshold by gas exchange.  J Appl Physiol. 1986;  60 2020-2027
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Beneke R, Heck H, Schwarz V, Leithauser R. Maximal lactate steady state during the second decade of age.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;  28 1474-1478
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Beneke R, Leithauser RM, Hutler M. Dependence of the maximal lactate steady state on the motor pattern of exercise.  Br J Sports Med. 2001;  35 192-196
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Billat VL, Sirvent P, Py G, Koralsztein JP, Mercier J. The concept of maximal lactate steady state: a bridge between biochemistry, physiology and sport science.  Sports Med. 2003;  33 407-426
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Burnley M, Doust JH, Vanhatalo A. A 3-min all-out test to determine peak oxygen uptake and the maximal steady state.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006;  38 1995-2003
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Coen B, Schwarz L, Urhausen A, Kindermann W. Control of training in middle- and long-distance running by means of the individual anaerobic threshold.  Int J Sports Med. 1991;  12 519-524
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Cohen D. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988
    Google Scholar
  • 11 Conconi F, Ferrari M, Ziglio PG, Droghetti P, Codeca L. Determination of the anaerobic threshold by a noninvasive field test in runners.  J Appl Physiol. 1982;  52 869-873
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Coyle EF, Feltner ME, Kautz SA, Hamilton MT, Montain SJ, Baylor AM, Abraham LD, Petrek GW. Physiological and biomechanical factors associated with elite endurance cycling performance.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1991;  23 93-107
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Davis JA, Vodak P, Wilmore JH, Vodak J, Kurtz P. Anaerobic threshold and maximal aerobic power for three modes of exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1976;  41 544-550
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Day JR, Rossiter HB, Coats EM, Skasick A, Whipp BJ. The maximally attainable VO2 during exercise in humans: the peak vs. maximum issue.  J Appl Physiol. 2003;  95 1901-1907
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Faude O, Kindermann W, Meyer T. Lactate threshold concepts: how valid are they?.  Sports Med. 2009;  39 469-490
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Gabriel H, Kindermann W. The acute immune response to exercise: what does it mean?.  Int J Sports Med. 1997;  18 (S 01) S28-S45
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Gastin PB, Costill DL, Lawson DL, Krzeminski K, McConell GK. Accumulated oxygen deficit during supramaximal all-out and constant intensity exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995;  27 255-263
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Gastin PB, Lawson DL. Variable resistance all-out test to generate accumulated oxygen deficit and predict anaerobic capacity.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1994;  69 331-336
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Harnish CR, Swensen TC, Pate RR. Methods for estimating the maximal lactate steady state in trained cyclists.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;  33 1052-1055
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. International Journal of Sports Medicine – Ethical Standards in Sport and Exercise Science Research.  Int J Sports Med. 2009;  30 701-702
    Google Scholar
  • 21 Heck H, Mader A, Hess G, Mucke S, Muller R, Hollmann W. Justification of the 4-mmol/l lactate threshold.  Int J Sports Med. 1985;  6 117-130
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Kindermann W, Simon G, Keul J. The significance of the aerobic-anaerobic transition for the determination of work load intensities during endurance training.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1979;  42 25-34
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Laursen PB, Jenkins DG. The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training: optimising training programmes and maximising performance in highly trained endurance athletes.  Sports Med. 2002;  32 53-73
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Lucia A, Sanchez O, Carvajal A, Chicharro JL. Analysis of the aerobic-anaerobic transition in elite cyclists during incremental exercise with the use of electromyography.  Br J Sports Med. 1999;  33 178-185
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Mader A, Heck H. A theory of the metabolic origin of “anaerobic threshold”.  Int J Sports Med. 1986;  7 (S 01) 45-65
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 McConnell TR. Practical considerations in the testing of VO2max in runners.  Sports Med. 1988;  5 57-68
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 McLellan TM, Skinner JS. The use of the aerobic threshold as a basis for training.  Can J Appl Sport Sci. 1981;  6 197-201
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Meyer T, Lucia A, Earnest CP, Kindermann W. A conceptual framework for performance diagnosis and training prescription from submaximal gas exchange parameters – theory and application.  Int J Sports Med. 2005;  26 (S 01) S38-S48
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Moritani T, Nagata A, deVries HA, Muro M. Critical power as a measure of physical work capacity and anaerobic threshold.  Ergonomics. 1981;  24 339-350
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Niess AM, Fehrenbach E, Strobel G, Roecker K, Schneider EM, Buergler J, Fuss S, Lehmann R, Northoff H, Dickhuth HH. Evaluation of stress responses to interval training at low and moderate altitudes.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003;  35 263-269
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Perrey S, Grappe F, Girard A, Bringard A, Groslambert A, Bertucci W, Rouillon JD. Physiological and metabolic responses of triathletes to a simulated 30-min time-trial in cycling at self-selected intensity.  Int J Sports Med. 2003;  24 138-143
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Seiler KS, Kjerland GO. Quantifying training intensity distribution in elite endurance athletes: is there evidence for an “optimal” distribution?.  Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2006;  16 49-56
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Sjodin B, Jacobs I. Onset of blood lactate accumulation and marathon running performance.  Int J Sports Med. 1981;  2 23-26
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Smith CG, Jones AM. The relationship between critical velocity, maximal lactate steady-state velocity and lactate turnpoint velocity in runners.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001;  85 19-26
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Stegmann H, Kindermann W, Schnabel A. Lactate kinetics and individual anaerobic threshold.  Int J Sports Med. 1981;  2 160-165
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Urhausen A, Coen B, Weiler B, Kindermann W. Individual anaerobic threshold and maximum lactate steady state.  Int J Sports Med. 1993;  14 134-139
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Urhausen A, Weiler B, Coen B, Kindermann W. Plasma catecholamines during endurance exercise of different intensities as related to the individual anaerobic threshold.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1994;  69 16-20
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 38 Van Schuylenbergh R, Vanden Eynde B, Hespel P. Correlations between lactate and ventilatory thresholds and the maximal lactate steady state in elite cyclists.  Int J Sports Med. 2004;  25 403-408
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 39 Wasserman K. Principles of Exercise Testing and Interpretation: Including Pathophysiology and Clinical Applications. 4th ed Philadelphia, London: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005
    Google Scholar
  • 40 Wasserman K, McIlroy MB. Detecting the threshold of anaerobic metabolism in cardiac patients during exercise.  Am J Cardiol. 1964;  14 844-852
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 41 Weltman A. The Blood Lactate Response to Exercise. Champaign Il: Human Kinetics; 1995
    Google Scholar
  • 42 Whipp BJ, Davis JA, Torres F, Wasserman K. A test to determine parameters of aerobic function during exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1981;  50 217-221
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 43 Wiedemann MS, Bosquet L. Anaerobic work capacity derived from isokinetic and isoinertial cycling.  Int J Sports Med. 2010;  31 89-94
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 44 Williams CA, Ratel S, Armstrong N. Achievement of peak VO2 during a 90-s maximal intensity cycle sprint in adolescents.  Can J Appl Physiol. 2005;  30 157-171
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 45 Withers RT, Van der Ploeg G, Finn JP. Oxygen deficits incurred during 45, 60, 75 and 90-s maximal cycling on an air-braked ergometer.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1993;  67 185-191
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 46 Zeballos RJ, Weisman IM. Behind the scenes of cardiopulmonary exercise testing.  Clin Chest Med. 1994;  15 193-213
    PubMedGoogle Scholar

Correspondence

Dr. Billy Sperlich

German Sport University

Cologne

Institute of Training Science

and Sport Informatics

Am Sportpark

50933 Cologne

Germany

Phone: + 49/221/4982 4850

Fax: + 49/221/4982 8180

Email: sperlich@dshs-koeln.de

      >