Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate patterns of cardiovascular and ventilatory response during cardiopulmonary exercise stress test and determine standard values of physical capacity during cardiopulmonary exercise stress tests for professional basketball players.
Material and methods: Materials of the study were collected during a ramp exercise test of 33 professional athletes using an electronically braked bike ERGOLINE 9000. Power output and heart rate samples were collected. Ventilation and gas exchange indices were measured during the tests using VMAX229 metabolic card and Sensor Medics gas flow analyzer. Scattergrams of power, oxygen uptake, heart rate and pulmonary ventilation with 95% mean prediction intervals were presented. Data of European champions as example of successful conditioning were compared with other athletes.
Results: The typical values of oxygen uptake, power output, hear rate and pulmonary ventilation are presented. We found statistically significant correlations between heart rate, oxygen uptake and power output at anaerobic threshold. Statistically significant correlations between heart rate, oxygen uptake and power output disappeared at peak of exercise.
Conclusions: The data of incremental exercise tests gives valid information about physical capacity of basketball players. The collected data could become referential source for the sport and might be useful for monitoring and evaluating current and future players. European champions developed relative high peak oxygen consumption despite "early" anaerobic threshold. Other advantages of European champions during cardiopulmonary testing were not determined.