Does a 3-Minute All-Out Test Provide Suitable Measures of Exercise Intensity at the Maximal Lactate Steady State or Peak Oxygen Uptake for Well-Trained Runners?
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Purpose:
To examine whether a 3-min all-out test can be used to obtain accurate values for the maximal lactate steady state (vMLSS) and/or peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) of well-trained runners.
Methods:
The 15 male volunteers (25 ± 5 y, 181 ± 6 cm, 76 ± 7 kg, VO2peak 69.3 ± 9.5 mL · kg−1 · min−1) performed a ramp test, a 3-min all-out test, and several submaximal 30-min runs at constant paces of vEND (mean velocity during the last 30 s of the 3-min all-out test) itself and vEND +0.2, +0.1, –0.1, –0.2, –0.3, or –0.4 m/s.
Results:
vMLSS and vEND were correlated (r = .69, P = .004), although vMLSS was lower (mean difference: 0.26 ± 0.32 m/s, 95% CI –.44 to –.08 m/s, P = .007, effect size = 0.65). The VO2peak values derived from the ramp and 3-min all-out tests were not correlated (r = .41, P = .12), with a mean difference of 523 ± 1002 mL (95% CI –31 to 1077 mL).
Conclusion:
A 3-min all-out test does not provide a suitable measure of vMLSS or VO2peak for well-trained runners.
Sperlich is with the Inst of Sport Science, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. Zinner and Trenk are with the Inst of Training Science and Sport Informatics, German Sport University, Köln, Germany. Holmberg is with the Swedish Winter Sports Research Center, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden. Address author correspondence to Billy Sperlich at billy.sperlich@uni-wuerzburg.de.
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