EVALUATION OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE SUBMAXIMAL TREADMILL RUNNING TEST FOR PREDICTING (V) over dotO2MAX

Marsh, CE. Evaluation of the ACSM submaximal treadmill running test for predicting (V) over dotO(2)max. J Strength Cond Res 26(2): 548-554, 2012-The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM's) submaximal treadmill running test in predicting (V) over dotO(2)max. Twenty-one moderately well-trained men aged 18-34 years performed 1 maximal treadmill test to determine maximal oxygen uptake (M (V) over dotO(2)max) and 2 submaximal treadmill tests using 4 stages of continuous submaximal exercise. Estimated (V) over dotO(2)max was predicted by extrapolation to age-predicted maximal heart rate (HRmax) and calculated in 2 ways: using data from all submaximal stages between 110 b.min(-1) and 85% HRmax (P (V) over dotO(2)max-All), and using data from the last 2 stages only (P (V) over dotO(2)max-2). The measured (V) over dotO(2)max was overestimated by 3% on average for the group but was not significantly different to predicted (V) over dotO(2)max (1-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] p = 0.695; M (V) over dotO(2)max = 53.01 +/- 5.38; P (V) over dotO(2)max-All = 54.27 +/- 7.16; P (V) over dotO(2)max-2 = 54.99 +/- 7.69 ml-kg(-1).min(-1)), although M (V) over dotO(2)max was not overestimated in all the participants-it was underestimated in 30% of observations. Pearson's correlation, standard error of estimate (SEE), and total error (E) between measured and predicted (V) over dotO(2)max were r = 0.646, 4.35, 4.08 ml.kg(-1).min(-1) (P (V) over dotO(2)max-All) and r = 0.642, 4.21, 3.98 ml-kg(-1).min(-1) (P (V) over dotO(2)max-2) indicating that the accuracy in prediction (error) was very similar whether using P (V) over dotO(2)max-All or P (V) over dotO(2)max-2, with up to 70% of the participants predicted scores within 1 SEE (similar to 4 ml.kg(-1).min(-1)) of M (V) over dotO(2)max. In conclusion, the ACSM equation provides a reasonably good estimation of (V) over dotO(2)max with no difference in predictive accuracy between P (V) over dotO(2)max-2 and P (V) over dotO(2)max-All, and hence, either approach may be equally useful in tracking an individual's aerobic fitness over time. However, if a precise knowledge of (V) over dotO(2)max is required, then it is recommended that this be measured directly.