Evaluation of the Best-designed Graded Exercise Test to Assess Peak Treadmill Speed

摘要

This study examined the influence of different speed increments during treadmill exercise tests on peak treadmill speed (V-peak) and its relationship with a 1-h treadmill running performance. 18 male recreational and amateur runners (10-km running pace: 10-15kmh(-1)) performed, in an alternate order, 3 continuous incremental exercise tests with different speed increments (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0kmh(-1)) on a motorized treadmill to determine V-peak. Thereafter they undertook a 1-h time trial on a treadmill. V-peak was determined as either (a) the highest speed that could be maintained for a complete minute (Vpeak-60s), (b) the speed of the last complete stage (Vpeak-C), or (c) the speed of the last complete stage added to the product of the speed increment and the completed fraction of the incomplete stage (Vpeak-P). The V-peak values were highly influenced by the different speed-incremented rates and the Vpeak-P determined during the protocol comprising speed increments of 1kmh(-1) presented the highest correlation with 1-h time trial performance (r=0.89). The results suggest that a protocol with speed increments comprising 1kmh(-1) and with a 3-min stage duration should be used as standard for the determination of V-peak to assess aerobic fitness and predict endurance performance in recreational runners. Furthermore, the Vpeak-P should be used for the determination of V-peak.