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Ramp and constant power trials produce equivalent critical power estimates

Authors :
MORTON, R. HUGH
GREEN, SIMON
BISHOP, DAVID
JENKINS, DAVID G.
Source :
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise; June 1997, Vol. 29 Issue: 6 p833-836, 4p
Publication Year :
1997

Abstract

The standard critical power test protocol on the cycle ergometer prescribes a series of trials to exhaustion, each at a different but constant power setting. Recently the protocol has been modified and applied to a series of trials to exhaustion each at a different ramp incremental rate. This study was undertaken to compare critical power and anaerobic work capacity estimates in the same group of subjects when derived from the two protocols. Ten male subjects of mixed athletic ability cycled to exhaustion on eight occasions in randomized order over a 3-wk period. Four trials were performed at differing constant power settings and four trials on differing ramp incremental rates. Both critical power and anaerobic work capacity were estimated for each subject by curve fitting of the ramp model and of three versions of the constant power model. After adjusting for inter-subject variability, no significant differences were detected between critical power estimates or between anaerobic work capacity estimates from any model formulation or from the two protocols. It is concluded that both the ramp and constant power protocols produce equivalent estimates for critical power and anaerobic work capacity.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
01959131 and 15300315
Volume :
29
Issue :
6
Database :
Supplemental Index
Journal :
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
Publication Type :
Periodical
Accession number :
ejs48911461