Scientific Reports (Jun 2021)
Incremental and decremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing protocols produce similar maximum oxygen uptake in athletes
Abstract
Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the maximal oxygen uptake ( $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max) achieved during incremental and decremental protocols in highly trained athletes. Nineteen moderate trained runners and rowers completed, on separate days, (i) an initial incremental $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max test (INC) on a treadmill, followed by a verification phase (VER); (ii) a familiarization of a decremental test (DEC); (iii) a tailored DEC; (iv) a test with decremental and incremental phases (DEC-INC); (v) and a repeated incremental test (INCF). During each test $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2, carbon dioxide production, ventilation, heart and breath rates and ratings of perceived exertion were measured. No differences were observed in $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max between INC (61.3 ± 5.2 ml kg−1 min−1) and DEC (61.1 ± 5.1 ml kg−1 min−1; average difference of ~ 11.58 ml min−1; p = 0.831), between INC and DEC-INC (60.9 ± 5.3 ml kg−1 min−1; average difference of ~ 4.8 ml min−1; p = 0.942) or between INC and INCF (60.7 ± 4.4 ml kg−1 min−1; p = 0.394). $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max during VER (59.8 ± 5.1 ml kg−1 min−1) was 1.50 ± 2.20 ml kg−1 min−1 lower (~ 2.45%; p = 0.008) compared with values measured during INC. The typical error in the test-to-test changes for evaluating $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max over the five tests was 2.4 ml kg−1 min−1 (95% CI 1.4–3.4 ml kg−1 min−1). Decremental tests do not elicit higher $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max than incremental tests in trained runners and rowers, suggesting that a plateau in $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2 during the classic incremental and verification tests represents the maximum ceiling of aerobic power.