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Int J Sports Med 2016; 37(07): 525-530
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1569346
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Verification Testing to Confirm VO2max in Altitude-Residing, Endurance-Trained Runners

R. M. Weatherwax
1   Recreation, Exercise, and Sport Science Department, Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, United States
,
T. B. Richardson
1   Recreation, Exercise, and Sport Science Department, Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, United States
,
N. M. Beltz
2   Health, Exercise & Sports Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
,
P. B. Nolan
3   Department of Sport and Exercise Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
,
L. Dalleck
1   Recreation, Exercise, and Sport Science Department, Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, United States
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted after revision 16 November 2015

Publication Date:
29 April 2016 (online)

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Abstract

We sought to explore the utility of the verification trial to confirm individual attainment of ‘true’ VO2max in altitude-residing, endurance-trained runners during treadmill exercise. 24 elite endurance-trained men and women runners (age=21.5±3.3 yr, ht=174.8±9.3 cm, body mass=60.5±6.7 kg, PR 800 m 127.5±13.1 s) completed a graded exercise test (GXT) trial (VO2max=60.0±5.8 mL·kg−1·min−1), and returned 20 min after incremental exercise to complete a verification trial (VO2max=59.6±5.7 mL·kg−1·min−1) of constant load, supramaximal exercise. The incidence of ‘true’ VO2max confirmation using the verification trial was 24/24 (100%) with all participants revealing differences in VO2max≤3% (the technical error of our equipment) between the GXT and verification trials. These findings support use of the verification trial to confirm VO2max attainment in altitude-residing, endurance-trained runners.

Key words

maximal oxygen uptake - incremental exercise test - true VO2max - verification phase - VO2 plateau - hypoxia
 

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