Concurrent Validity of Two Submaximal Bicycle Exercise Tests in Predicting Maximal Oxygen Consumption (Exercise Physiology & Fitness)

No systematic studies have compared the concurrent validity of the Astrand and YMCA submaximal bicycle exercise tests in predicting maximal oxygen consumption in the same individual. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of predicting VO_2max using heart rate and workload obtained during two standard submaximal aerobic fitness tests with actual VO_2max measured during cycle ergometer testing. Twenty-three male and female physically active college students (21.7 ± 2.9 yr; 71.3 ± 11.9 kg; 23.5 ± 2.4 kg · m^-2) completed VO_2max evaluation via open circuit spirometry and the Astrand-Rhyming and YMCA submaximal bicycle ergometer tests. The one-way repeated measures analysis of variance showed no significant main effect for oxygen consumption (p > .05) among the three tests (VO_2max = 42.87 ± 9.90 mL·kg^-1·min^-1; YMCA = 46.09 ± 13.18 mL·kg^-1·min^-1; Astrand-Ryhming = 46.18 ± 8.84 mL·kg^-1·min^-1. Significant Pearson Product Moment Correlations were observed between the VO_2max and the Astrand-Ryhming (r = .56, p = .006) and YMCA (r = .83, p < .001) tests. A significant correlation (r = .73, p < .001) was also observed between the Astrand-Ryhming and YMCA tests. The coefficients of determination (r²) were .31 for the Astrand-Rhyming test and .68 for the YMCA test. The t-test comparison between the correlation coefficients derived from the YMCA and Astrand-Ryhming tests was significant (t (22) = 2.87, p < .05). This research demonstrates that the use of submaximal bicycle testing can be used to accurately estimate VO_2max in physically active individuals. The findings suggest that maximal oxygen consumption estimated from the YMCA test provides a more accurate estimate of VO_2max as compared to the Astrand-Ryhming test.
Keyword(s): exercise/fitness