Abstract
Purpose: This research was undertaken to validate a combination of methodologies to determine ventilatory threshold (VT). Methods: Three methods were used individually and then combined to determine VT as follows: 1) ventilatory equivalencies, 2) excess CO2 production, and 3) a modified V-slope method. Three groups of participants - endurance athletes (N = 132), healthy, aerobically active adults (N = 31), and healthy, sedentary/low-active adults (N = 22) - were independently evaluated for VT and compared with the criterion standard lactate threshold (LT) defined as the first rise in blood lactate with increasing intensity of exercise. Results: VT and LT were significantly correlated using the combined VT method within each study group (r = 0.98, 0.97, and 0.95, respectively; P 〈 0.001). Mean V̇O2 values at VT and LT were not significantly different between the three groups (P 〉 0.20). The combined method improved the determination rate of VT and reduced the standard deviation of the LT-VT difference by 80-170% over the individual methods. During test-retest procedures V̇O2lt and V̇O2vt determined by the combined method met criteria demonstrating further reliability. Conclusion: The combined method to determine VT is valid and reliable across a wide fitness range in healthy individuals and improves the determination rate and accuracy of VT determination over the use of single methods.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1841-1848 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2001 |
Keywords
- Lactate threshold
- V-slope
- Ventilatory equivalent