CRITICAL SPEED, THRESHOLDS FOR VO2MAX AND BOUNDARIES OF THE SEVERE EXERCISE INTENSITY DOMAIN

ABSTRACT Introduction: The severe exercise intensity domain can be defined as the range of work rates or speeds over which VO2max elicited. Objectives: Our purpose was to determine if critical speed (running analog power) identifies lower boundary and identify upper domain. Methods: Twenty-five individuals performed five running tests exhaustion, each lasting > 2.5 min < 16 min. two-parameter vs time-to-exhaustion relationship generated values for three-parameter time-to-reach-VO2max threshold above relationships were solved calculate minimum time needed elicit VO2max. Results: Critical (3.00 ± 0.38 m·s−1) elicited (2.99 0.37 correlated (r = 0.83, p 0.01) did not differ (p 0.70), confirming (103 7 s) associated highest at (4.98 0.52 identified these participants. Conclusion: power concept, requires no metabolic measurements, used lowest With addition mathematical modeling also shortest duration Evidence Level I; Validating cohort study with good reference standards.