Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

PLoS ONE

Volume

17

Issue

5 May

PubMed ID

35604957

Publisher

PLOS

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences / Centre for Human Performance

RAS ID

52711

Comments

du Plessis, C., Andrews, M., Mitchell, L. J., Cochrane Wilkie, J., King, T., & Blazevich, A. J. (2022). Shorter constant work rate cycling tests as proxies for longer tests in highly trained cyclists. Plos one, 17(5), e0259034. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259034

Abstract

Severe-intensity constant work rate (CWR) cycling tests simulate the high-intensity competition environment and are useful for monitoring training progression and adaptation, yet impose significant physiological and psychological strain, require substantial recovery, and may disrupt athlete training or competition preparation. A brief, minimally fatiguing test providing comparable information is desirable.

Purpose

To determine whether physiological variables measured during, and functional decline in maximal power output immediately after, a 2-min CWR test can act as a proxy for 4-min test outcomes.

Methods

Physiological stress (VO _2 kinetics, heart rate, blood lactate concentrations ([La-]b)) was monitored and performance fatigability was estimated (as pre-to-post-CWR changes in 10-s sprint power) during 2- and 4-min CWR tests in 16 high-level cyclists (VO _2peak ¼ 64:4 ± 6:0 ml·kg-1·min-1). The relationship between the 2- and 4-min CWR tests and the physiological variables that best relate to the performance fatigability were investigated.

Results

The 2-min CWR test evoked a smaller decline in sprint mechanical power (32% vs. 47%, p < 0.001). Both the physiological variables (r = 0.66–0.96) and sprint mechanical power (r = 0.67–0.92) were independently and strongly correlated between 2- and 4-min tests. Differences in VO _2peak and [La-]b in both CWR tests were strongly associated with the decline in sprint mechanical power.

Conclusion

Strong correlations between 2- and 4-min severe-intensity CWR test outcomes indicated that the shorter test can be used as a proxy for the longer test. A shorter test may be more practical within the elite performance environment due to lower physiological stress and performance fatigability and should have less impact on subsequent training and competition preparation.

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0259034

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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