Roy, Jane L. P, Smith, Joe F, Bishop, Phillip A, Hallinan, Christopher J, Wang, Minqi and Hunter, Gary R (2004) Prediction of maximal VO2 from a submaximal stairmaster test in young women. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 18 (1). pp. 92-96. ISSN 1064-8011

Abstract

The StairMaster 4000 PT is a popular step ergometer which provides a submaximal test protocol (SM Predicted Vo2max) for the prediction of Vo2max (ml-kg-1min-1). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the SM Predicted Vo2max protocol by comparing it to results from a Vo2max treadmill test in 20 young healthy women aged 20-25 years. Subjects were 10 step-trained (ST) women who had performed aerobic activities and exercised on a step ergometer for 20-30 minutes at least 3 times per week for the past 3 months, and 10 non-step-trained (NST) women who had performed aerobic activities no more than twice a week during the past 3 months and had no previous experience on a step ergometer. The SM Predicted Vo2max protocol used 2 steady state heart rates between approximately 115-150 b-min-1 to estimate Vo2max. The Bruce maximal treadmill protocol (Actual Vo2max) was used to measure Vo2max by open circuit spirometry. Each subject performed both tests within a 7-day period. The means and standard deviations for the Actual Vo2max tests were 39.8 +/- 6.1 ml-kg-1min-1 for the ST group, 37.6 +/- 6.3 ml-kg-1min-1 for the NST group, and 38.7 +/- 6.2 ml-kg-Lmin-1 for the Total group (N = 20); and for the SM Predicted Vo2max tests, means and standard deviations were 40.78 +/- 14.0 ml-kg-1-min-1, 30.9 +/- 4.8 ml-kg-1min-1 and 35.9 +/- 11.4 ml-kg-1.min-1. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the means of the Actual Vo2max and SM Predicted Vo2max test for the Total group (N = 20) or the ST group (n = 10), but a significant difference (p < 0.05) was shown for the NST group. The coefficient of determination (R2) and standard error of estimate (SEE) for the SM Predicted Vo2max and Actual Vo2max tests were R2 = 0.18, SEE = 5.72 ml-kg-1-min-1 for the Total group; R2 = 0.00, SEE = 6.68 ml-kg-1.min-1 for the NST group; and R2 = 0.33, SEE = 5.32 ml-kg-1.min-1 for ST group. In conclusion, the SM Predicted Vo2max test has acceptable accuracy for the ST group, but significantly underpredicted the NST group by almost 7 ml; and, as demonstrated by the high SEEs, it has a low level of precision for both ST and NST subjects.

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