Int J Sports Med 1995; 16(8): 541-544
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-973051
Training and Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Lack of Reliability in Conconi's Heart Rate Deflection Point

A. M. Jones, J. H. Doust
  • Chelsea School Research Centre, University of Brighton, Gaudick Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 7SP, United Kingdom
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
09 March 2007 (online)

Conconi et al. (1982) reported the development of a non-invasive field test for anaerobic threshold (AT) based upon an observed deviation from the linear heart rate (HR) - running velocity (RV) relationship at high RV (HRdev). While the validity of the Conconi test has been debated (Heck and Hollmann 1992; Tokmakidis and Leger 1992), the reliability of the Conconi test has never been independently assessed in athletes performing the protocol outlined by Conconi. This study evaluated the reliability of the Conconi test in 15 well-trained male distance runners (22.5 ± 3.3 yrs, 67.7 ± 4.8 kg, VO2 peak 66.4 ± 4.8 ml · kg-1 · min-1) who performed a treadmill simulation of the Conconi test protocol twice within a 4-8 day period. The results were as follows: 6 subjects demonstrated HRdev in both Conconi tests, 5 subjects demonstrated HRdev in only one test, and in 4 subjects HRdev could not be discerned in either test. It was concluded that failure to determine a reproducible HRdev by subjective assessment in 9 of 15 subjects makes the Conconi test unsuitable for reliable evaluation of AT.

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