A Comparison of Maximal Oxygen Consumption Values as Determined by Predicted and Actual Techniques

Book excerpt: The study was designed to permit a comparison of the values obtained on four maximal oxygen consumption tests: the Mitchell, Sproule and Chapman Maximal Oxygen Intake Test, the Taylor, Puskirk and Penschel Treadmill test of Maximal Oxygen Consumption, the modified Astrand Bicycle Ergometer test of Maximal Oxygen Uptake and the modified Astrand-Ryhming Nomogram for the Prediction of Maximal Oxygen Uptake. In addition, an attempt was made to determine the degree of relationship between the predictive-type maximal oxygen consumption test, the determined measures of maximal oxygen consumption as yielded by both of the treadmill tests and the bicycle ergometer test and a test of physical fitness. The Johnson, Brouha and Darling test of Physical Fitness was used to determine a fitness score. A second aspect of the study was an attempt to examine changes in oxygen uptake values on the various tests incurred by additional work after a maximal value had been arrived at on the basis of the criteria established in the test outline. The experimental group was composed of 24 healthy, physically active male students and staff members of the University of Alberta and soldiers from Griesbach Barracks, Edmonton, Alberta. The age range was 17 to 53 years. The testing sequence was based on a permutation design except for the physical fitness test which was administered on the initial visit. A Godart Capnograph carbon dioxide analyzer and a Beckman #E-2 oxygen analyzer were used for the gas analysis and their accuracy was validated by the Scholander method. The mean maximal oxygen consumption values obtained on the Mitchell et al. test, Taylor et al. test and the modified Astrand-Ryhming Nomogram test were found to be significantly larger than the mean obtained on the modified Astrand Bicycle Ergometer test (p = .05). The values (expressed as liters of oxygen consumed per minute) obtained on the modified Astrand-Ryhming nomogram correlated at 0.80 with the physical fitness test, 0.78 with the Mitchell et al. test, 0.72 with the Taylor, Buskirk and Henschel test and 0.65 with the modified Astrand Bicycle Ergometer test. Correlations after body weight was partialled out were of the same magnitude. Of 22 subjects who performed extra worklevels on the Mitchell et al. test after achieving a criterion-designated maximal oxygen uptake, 15 developed a significantly higher value (p = .01). Seven subjects participated in this phase of the study on the Taylor et al. test. Three of the seven developed a significantly higher maximal oxygen consumption value (p = .05). None of the 15 subjects who did extra work on the modified Astrand Bicycle Ergometer test was able to elicit a higher maximal oxygen uptake value. Within the limitations of the study it was concluded that: 1. The treadmill tests and the predictive-type test yielded higher maximal oxygen consumption values than did the modified Astrand Bicycle Ergometer test. 2. The correlation coefficients which resulted from a comparison of the Astrand-Ryhming Nomogram test with the other four tests were not significantly different from the correlations that existed between the maximal tests of oxygen consumption and the fitness score. 5. The Astrand-Ryhming test produced a significantly larger variance than did any of the three direct tests of maximal oxygen consumption. 4. The present criteria used for the establishment of a maximal oxygen consumption value on the two treadmill tests studied do not necessarily provide a maximal estimation of this ability for all subjects.