One-minute stages are optimal for maximal exercise testing in endurance male and female athletes.

OBJECTIVE: Over the last 40 yr., there has been a relative consensus that incremental exercise tests used to determine Maximal Oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), maximal aerobic intensity, and ventilatory thresholds should last between 8 and 12 min. However, recent studies have questioned this recommendation, suggesting that it may be outdated, although this is not yet established in the literature. This study compared V̇O2max, Maximum Aerobic Power (MAP), and ventilatory thresholds between two incremental exercise protocols in amateur endurance athletes. METHODS: Thirteen women and 15 men (aged 24-53 yr) completed two maximal progressive tests, performed in random order (short-term and long-term), with a 2- to 4-day interval. In the short-term test, the workload increased by 25 W per minute, while in the long-term test, the workload increased by 25 W every 3 min. Both protocols were performed until exhaustion. The variables assessed included ventilatory threshold (VT), Respiratory Compensation Point (RCP), V̇O2max, MAP, Maximal Heart Rate (HRmax), and maximal oxygen pulse. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the short-term (8-12 min) and long-term (19-28 min) protocols for V̇O2max (p = 0.79), HRmax (p = 0.715), or maximal oxygen pulse (p = 0.40). However, absolute and relative MAP (p < 0.001) and power at RCP (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the short-term protocol. Moreover, men showed a greater reduction in MAP during long-term tests than women. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that 1-min stage tests are more time-efficient and effective for assessing V̇O2max and MAP.