A submaximal combined arm and leg test as a predictor of maximal oxygen consumption

Abstract

This study evaluated the predictive accuracy of a submaximal combined arm and leg test and that of the Astrand-Rhyming bicycle test. The study also determined the predictive accuracy of a submaximal test with the maximal value of a test using the same testing mode.

The testing was conducted at the University of Kansas. Thirty female subjects between the ages of 18 and 31 years, (x = 23) performed a maximal treadmill test, a maximal combined arm-leg test, a maximal bicycle test, a submaximal combined arm-leg test, and a submaximal bicycle test.

The mean measured maximal oxygen consumption was 2.89 (.44) in L/min and 46.82 (4.96) in ml/kg min for the treadmill, 2.61 (.41) in L/min and 41.64 (4.98) in ml/kg-min for the combined arm-leg, and 2.30 (.32) in L/min and 37.15 (5.22) in ml/kg min for the bicycle.

A multiple regression equation was computed for predicting V02max from the submaximal heart rate and workload of the tests using the combined arm and leg and the bicycle. The mean value of predicted V02max from the submaximal combined test was 2.88 (.31) in L/min and 47.15 (6.49) in ml/kg,min. The prediction had a correlation value of .73 for L/min and .67 for ml/kg min with the treadmill and standard error of estimate in L/min and ml/kg min, .21 and 4.82, respectively.

The mean value of the predictive value using the Astrand-Rhyming nomogram for the submaximal bicycle test was 2.51 (.81) in L/min and 40.17 (10.29) in ml/kg min. These values correlated with the treadmill) with values of .71 in L/min and .46 in ml/kg min. The standard error of estimate when compared to the treadmill were .57 L/min and ~.10 ml/kg min. It was concluded that when predicting maximal oxygen consumption, the submaximal combined arm-leg mode will give a more accurate reading than the Astrand-Rhyming submaximal test. Higher correlations between predicted values and measured values are obtained when the values are expressed in L/min instead of ml/kg min. It was also determined that submaximal testing to predict maximal oxygen consumption is not mode specific.