Recommended Protocol Durations For Testing VO2max

Dr. Robergs Fall, 2010

Recommended Protocol Durations For
Testing VO2max

Robert A. Robergs, Ph.D., FASEP, EPC

Director: Exercise Physiology Laboratories
Exercise Science Program

The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM

History 1

• In the beginning, intermittent protocol,
distributed over several days
• Early researching comparing protocols was more
for VO2max prediction than protocol development
• Buchfuhrer et al. (1983) was the first study
designed to assess protocol duration (8 – 17 min, 5
subjects/group)
• Astorino (2004) – 26 subjects; 6, 10, 14 min
treadmill protocols

VO2max Protocol Duration

Dr. Robergs Fall, 2010

Current Recommendations

10 – 12 min, regardless of gender, age, fitness, health

Current Practice

5 – >25 min, regardless of gender, age, fitness, health

Methods

• 16 subjects (8 male, 8 female); cyclists, triathletes, moderate to high
VO2max
• males > 45 mL/kg/min; females > 40 mL/kg/min: cycle ergometry
• Familiarization test to determine VO2max, peak Watts, Watts
increment and protocol duration

5 min protocol: MPOF (Watts) / 5 (min) x 1.2
8 min protocol: MPOF (Watts) / 8 (min) x 1.1
12 min protocol: MPOF (Watts) /12 (min) x 1.0
16 min protocol: MPOF (Watts) /16 (min) x 0.9

VO2max Protocol Duration 2

Dr. Robergs Fall, 2010

• Exercise tests completed in balanced Latin-squares order; 2 tests
each day, separated by 45 min on two different days.
• automated breath-by-breath indirect calorimetry.
• Data processed to determine VO2max and the VT.

• VO2 plateau was defined as VO2 time slope < 50 mL/min during
last 30 s of test.

• VT detected using VE/VO2 method.

VO2max Protocol Duration 3

Dr. Robergs Fall, 2010

Results Mean  SD Males Females
24.9  6.6 23.8  3.2 26.0  8.9
Age (years) 171.9  10.6 180.7  6.0 163.1  5.4
Height (cm) 66.8  11.1 75.7  6.9 57.8  5.6
Weight (kg) 16.4  5.8 11.6  2.4 21.2  3.6
Fat (%) 3.66  0.88 4.44  0.39 2.87  0.36
VO2max

(L/min)

Protocol durations (min) Males Females
Variable Mean  SD 5.12  0.18 4.98  0.13

5 min 5.05  0.17

8 min 7.77  0.23 7.84  0.20 7.69  0.26

12 min 11.53  0.42 11.49  0.45 11.58  0.40

16 min 16.25  0.42 16.02  0.37 16.49  0.31

VO2max Protocol Duration 4

Dr. Robergs Fall, 2010

450

Watts at VO2max 400

350

300

250

200 8 12 16
5

Test Time (min)

VO2 Slope (L/min/min) 1.00 *
0.75
0.50 5 8 12 16
0.25
0.00 Test Time (min)
-0.25

VO2max Protocol Duration 5

Dr. Robergs Fall, 2010

VO2 Plateau Incidence

Protocol Males Females
5 min
11

8 min 3 6

12 min 2 4

16 min 5 4

4.75 a

* 5.0
4.5
4.50 4.0
3.5
4.25 3.0 *
2.5
4.00VO2max (L/min) 2.0 Male
Female
3.75 VO2max (L/min) 4
8 10 12 14 16
3.50
Time (min)
3.25

3.00

2.75

2.50 6

5 8 12 16

Test Time (min)

VO2max Protocol Duration 6

Dr. Robergs Fall, 2010

% VO2max Nadir = 7.998 min
100

-0.731 %VO2max/min
98

96 1.084 %VO2max/min

94 2 segment regression
4th order polynomial
92
4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Time (min)

Conclusions

• VO2max testing requires protocol durations between 6-10 min.
• More important for trained than untrained individuals.

• Exercise physiology needs to re-explore the science of protocol

development. b mi/Hr
10.0
VO2 (mL/kg/min) 90 9.0
8.0
75

7.0
60 6.0

45 5.0
4.0

30 3.0

15
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

% Gr ade

VO2max Protocol Duration 7