Heart rate cost of running in track estimates velocity associated with maximal oxygen uptake

Rafael Reis Olher; Marcelo Magalhães Sales; Caio Victor Sousa; Rafael Costa Sotero; Bibiano Madrid; Rafael Rodrigues Cunha; Milton Rocha Moraes; Herbert Gustavo Simões

doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.02.029

Heart rate cost of running in track estimates velocity associated with maximal oxygen uptake

Physiol Behav. 2019 Jun 1:205:33-38. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.02.029. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

Authors

Rafael Reis Olher¹, Marcelo Magalhães Sales², Caio Victor Sousa³, Rafael Costa Sotero³, Bibiano Madrid⁴, Rafael Rodrigues Cunha⁵, Milton Rocha Moraes³, Herbert Gustavo Simões⁶

Affiliations

¹ Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Educação Física, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Centro Universitário do Planalto Central Apparecido dos Santos, Distrito Federal, Brazil. Electronic address: rflolher@gmail.com.
² Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Quirinópolis, Goiás, Brazil.
³ Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Educação Física, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
⁴ Centro Universitário Luterano de Palmas (CEULP/ULBRA), Tocantins, Brazil.
⁵ Centro Universitário do Planalto Central Apparecido dos Santos, Distrito Federal, Brazil; Centro Universitário e Faculdade Projeção, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
⁶ Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Educação Física, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil. Electronic address: hgsimoes@gmail.com.

PMID: 30802508
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.02.029

Abstract

Background: Running velocity associated with VO₂max (vVO₂max) is a parameter widely used for exercise prescription and is related to endurance performance. However, the vVO₂max determination usually requires a maximal effort test and equipped laboratory for expired gas analysis, what make difficulty its assessment.

Objective: We aimed to test the validity of a simple method of vVO₂max prediction through the heart rate cost of running (HRC) in a submaximal 6-min running test, both in treadmill and in a 400-meter track.

Methods: Male recreational runners (n = 16; 30.3 ± 8.0 years; VO₂max of 46.2 ± 3.2 ml·kg^-1·min^-1) randomly underwent an incremental test in treadmill with gas analysis, and a 3000-m time trial in a track, to determine vVO₂max. Before every maximal test, participants also performed a submaximal 6-min running (~85% HRmax), both in the treadmill and in a track, to assess HRC (bpm^-1m·min^-1) by dividing the submaximal running velocity by its respective HR. The vVO₂max (km·h^-1) was predicted by dividing the HRmax (bpm)/HRC (bpm^-1m·min^-1).

Results: No differences were verified (p > .05) among vVO₂max determined both in the treadmill (13.8 ± 0.9 km·h^-1) and track (13.6 ± 0.9 km·h^-1) to those predicted by the HRC method both in treadmill (13.5 ± 0.8 km·h^-1) and track (13.6 ± 1.0 km·h^-1). The vVO₂max measured directly with expired gas analysis was highly correlated with vVO₂max estimated through HRC in treadmill and track (p < .05). Additionally, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman technique revealed good agreement and reliability classified with substantial agreement [ICC = 0.673 (95% CI 0.064-0.886; p = .019)] and almost perfect agreement [ICC = 0.870 (95% CI 0.628-0.955 p = .0001)] between methods to identify vVO₂max, respectively.

Conclusion: A submaximal 6-min exercise test protocol to assess HRC of running was considered valid to estimate vVO₂max of recreational runners both in treadmill and outdoor track.

Keywords: Aerobic; Endurance; Track-and-field; Treadmill.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Exercise Test
Heart Rate / physiology*
Humans
Male
Oxygen Consumption / physiology*
Running / physiology*
Young Adult