British Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol 18, Issue 3 191-194, Copyright © 1984 by British Association of Sport and Medicine
Maximal oxygen intake estimated from submaximal heart rate
CO Dotson and MA Caprarola
This study investigated the predictability of maximal oxygen intake from
three different submaximal heart rates assessed during an initial and
follow-up ride on a cycle ergometer. Twenty-four healthy male subjects
performed workloads of 600, 750, and 900 kpm's for six minutes on each of
two visits to the laboratory. Analysis of variance for a randomised
complete blocks design, with subjects constituting blocks, was used to
analyse heart rate, estimated maximal oxygen intake, and residual estimated
maximal oxygen intake variations among the experimental conditions.
Relationships between the actual and estimated maximal oxygen intakes were
determined using the Pearson Product-Moment formula of correlation. The
average estimated maximal oxygen intake was significantly increased from
the first testing occasion to the second. Although errors of estimation
decreased significantly (450 ml to 366 ml) in favour of the second testing
condition, the decrease was neither consistent with workloads nor subjects.
The correlation coefficients were consistently low at 600 kpm for both
testing occasions (0.68 and 0.73, respectively), consistently high at 750
kpm (0.82 and 0.84, respectively), and quite variable at 900 kpm (0.71 and
0.84, respectively), indicated that the validity of the nomogram was not
consistent with all workloads or testing occasions. Despite these
inconsistencies, the nomogram is, for practical purposes, a valid predictor
of maximal oxygen consumption.
