Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2008; 29(10): 812-816
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-989321
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Effect of Ambient Temperature on the Reliability of a Preloaded Treadmill Time-Trial

C. Tyler1 , C. Sunderland1
  • 1School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision October 2, 2007

Publication Date:
06 May 2008 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of a 90-min treadmill-based preloaded time-trial (TTpre) in hot (HOT) and moderate (MOD) temperatures. Nine well-trained males completed six 90-min TTpre, three in HOT (30.5 ± 0.1 °C) and three in MOD (14.4 ± 0.1 °C) conditions, separated by 7 – 14 days conducted on a motorised treadmill. The TTpre consisted of 75 min at ∼ 60 % V˙O2max followed by a self-paced 15-min time-trial (TT). Subjects ran significantly further in MOD compared to HOT during the 15-minute TT phase (p < 0.01). The CV for the 15-min TTs calculated between trials 1 and 2 were 3.3 % (MOD) and 5.8 % (HOT). This improved to 2.4 % (MOD) (p > 0.05) and significantly improved to 2.7 % (HOT) (p < 0.05) when classifying trial 1 as a familiarisation and calculating the CV between trials 2 and 3. There was no significant difference between the CV calculated between trials 2 and 3 for the 15-min TT section between conditions (p > 0.05) There were no significant differences in any physiological response between conditions or within trials of the same condition (p > 0.05). The 90-min TTpre is a reliable test for the assessment of endurance performance in prolonged treadmill running in familiarised males in HOT and MOD conditions.

Key words

reproducibility - endurance performance - treadmill - heat - environmental

References

  • 1 Alberty M, Sidney M, Huot-Marchand F, Dekerle J, Bosquet L, Gorce P, Lensel G. Reproducibility of performance in three types of training in swimming.  Int J Sports Med. 2006;  27 591-672
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Altareki A, Drust B, Cable N T, Atkinson G, Gregson W A. The effects of environmental heat stress (35 °C) on simulated 4 km cycling time-trial performance.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006;  38 S354
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Atkinson G, Nevill A M. Selected issues in the design and analysis of sport performance research.  J Sports Sci. 2001;  19 811-827
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Barnett A, Maughan R J. Response of unacclimatized males to repeated weekly bouts of exercise in the heat.  Br J Sports Med. 1993;  27 39-44
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Billat V, Renoux J C, Pinoteau J. Reproducibility of running time to exhaustion at V˙O2max in subelite runners.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;  26 254-257
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Bishop D. Reliability of a 1-h endurance performance test in trained female cyclists.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997;  29 554-559
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Borg G. Psychophysical bases of perceived exertion.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1982;  14 377-381
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Currell K, Jentjens R LPG, Jeukendrup A E. Reliability of a cycling time trial in a glycogen-depleted state.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006;  98 583-589
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Doyle J A, Martinez A L. Reliability of a protocol for testing endurance performance in runners and cyclists.  Res Q Exerc Sport. 1998;  69 304-307
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Febbraio M A, Snow R J, Stathis C G, Hargreaves M, Carey M F. Effect of heat stress on muscle energy metabolism during exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1994;  77 2827-2831
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Galloway S DR, Maughan R J. Effects of ambient temperature on the capacity to perform prolonged exercise in man.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997;  29 1240-1249
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Graham K S, McLellan T M. Variability of time to exhaustion and oxygen deficit in supramaximal exercise.  Aust J Sci Med Sport. 1989;  21 11-14
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Hickey M S, Costill D L, McConell G K, Widrick J J, Tanaka H. Day to day variation in time trial cycling performance.  Int J Sports Med. 1992;  13 467-470
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Hopkins W G, Schabort E J, Hawley J A. Reliability of power in physical performance tests.  Sports Med. 2001;  31 211-234
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Jeukendrup A, Saris W HM, Bronus F, Arnold D M. A new validated endurance performance test.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;  28 266-270
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Jones A M, Doust J. A comparison of three protocols for the determination of maximal aerobic power in runners.  J Sports Sci. 1996;  14 89
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Krebs P S, Powers S K. Reliability of endurance tests.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1989;  21 S10
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Laursen P, Francis G, Abbiss C, Newton M. Comparison of the reliability of open- versus closed-loop treadmill running tests in well-trained runners. Proceedings from the 11th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Switzerland. Lausanne; ECSS 2006: 214 (ISBN: 3-939390-35-6)
    Google Scholar
  • 19 Marino F E, Kay D, Cannon J, Serwach N, Hilder M. A reproducible and variable intensity cycling performance protocol for warm conditions.  J Sci Med Sport. 2005;  5 95-107
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 McLellan T M, Cheung S S, Jacobs I. Variability of time to exhaustion during submaximal exercise.  Can J Appl Physiol. 1995;  20 39-51
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Nielsen B, Hales J RS, Strange S, Juel Christensen N, Warberg J, Saltin B. Human circulatory and thermoregulatory adaptations with heat acclimation and exercise in a hot, dry environment.  J Physiol (Lond). 1993;  460 467-485
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Palmer G S, Dennis S C, Noakes T D, Hawley J A. Assessment of the reproducibility of performance testing on an air-braked cycle ergometer.  Int J Sports Med. 1996;  17 293-298
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Pandolf K B, Cadarette B S, Sawka M N, Young A J, Francesconi R P, Gonzalez R R. Thermoregulatory responses of middle-aged and young men during dry-heat acclimation.  J Appl Physiol. 1988;  65 65-71
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Russell R D, Redman S M, Ravussin E, Hunter G R, Larson-Meyer D E. Reproducibility of endurance performance on a treadmill using a preloaded time trial.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;  36 717-724
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Schabort E J, Hawley J A, Hopkins W G, Blum H. High reliability of performance of well-trained rowers on a rowing ergometer.  J Sports Sci. 1999;  17 627-632
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Schabort E J, Hopkins W G, Hawley J A. Reproducibility of self-paced treadmill performance of trained endurance runners.  Int J Sports Med. 1998;  19 48-51
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Smith M F, Davison R CR, Balmer J, Bird S R. Reliability of mean power recorded during indoor and outdoor self-paced 40-km cycling time trails.  Int J Sports Med. 2001;  22 270-274
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Young A J, Sawka M N, Epstein Y, Decristofano B, Pandolf K B. Cooling different body surfaces during upper and lower body exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1987;  63 1218-1223
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar

Christopher Tyler

Nottingham Trent University
Sport and Exercise Science

Room 204, Erasmus Darwin Building, Clifton Lane

NG11 8NS Nottingham

United Kingdom

Phone: + 44 (0) 11 58 48 66 01

Fax: + 44 (0) 11 58 48 66 36

Email: christopher.tyler@ntu.ac.uk

      >