Responses to Exercise at 92 % and 100 % of the Velocity Associated with VO₂max

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rationale for using the velocity associated with VO₂max (vVO₂max) and the time that vVO₂max can be sustained (tMAX) in exercise prescription. Six male runners performed a 0 %-slope incremental treadmill test to determine their VO₂max (61.6 ± 9.1 ml · kg^-1 · min^-1) and the velocity at which it was elicited (vVO₂max; 271 ± 18m · min^-1). Then, they performed exhaustive tests at vVO₂max and at 92 % of vO₂max. VO₂max in these tests (4.56 + 0.55 and 4.57 + 0.50 l · min^-1) were not different from the incremental value (4.31 ±0.83 l · min^-1). At vVO₂max, VO₂max was attained after 299 ± 74 s and sustained for 32 ± 41 s. At 92 % of vVO₂max, it took longer to attain VO₂max (491 ± 156 s), but it was sustained longer (130 ± 66 s). Since no athlete reached VO₂max in the first 60 % of the runs, the results did not provide a rationale to support the recommendation that athletes train at vVO₂max for a fixed percentage of t_MAX when the goal in the training session is to maintain VO₂max.

Key words

Distance running - time to exhaustion - VO₂max