Supra-Versus Submaximal Cycle Ergometer Verification of VO2max in Males and Females

• Published in: Sports (Basel) 2020-12, Vol.8 (12), p.163
• Main Authors: Sawyer, Brandon J., McMahon, Nicholas, Thornhill, Kirsten L., Baughman, Brett R., Mahoney, Jenny M., Pattison, Kai L., Freeberg, Kaitlin A., Botts, Ryan T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: criteria for VO2max; Exercise physiology; Females; Heart rate; incremental exercise testing; Males; maximal oxygen uptake; Physical fitness; sex difference; true VO2max; Young adults
• ISSN: 2075-4663; 2075-4663
• DOI: 10.3390/sports8120163

This study was designed to determine the optimal intensity for verification phase testing (VP) in healthy, young adults. Thirty one young, active participants (16 females) completed a cycle ergometer graded exercise test (GXT) VO2max test and 4 VP tests at 80, 90, 100, and 105% of the maximum wattage achieved during the GXT. GXT and VP VO2max values showed a significant test x sex interaction (p = 0.02). The males elicited significantly higher VO2max values during the GXT, 80%, and 90% when compared to the 105%, (105 vs. GXT: p = 0.05; 105% vs. 80%: p < 0.01; 105% vs. 90%: p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in VO2max across the tests in the females (p > 0.05); 80% of the males achieved their highest VP VO2max during a submaximal VP test compared to only 37.5% of the females. A secondary study conducted showed excellent reliability (ICCs > 0.90) and low variation (CVs < 3%) for the 90% VP. Our findings show that a submaximal verification phase intensity is ideal for young healthy males to elicit the highest VO2max during cycle ergometer testing. For females, a range of intensities (80–105%) produce similar VO2max values. However, the 80% VP yields an unnecessarily high time to exhaustion.