Submaximal Aerobic Fitness Evaluation

Phase 1A: Twenty-five healthy males, 18 to 30 years of age, completed this study to cross-validate the Banister-Legge (B-L) submaximal cycle ergometry test. The B-L nomogram for untrained and trained subjects and the USAF CE significantly underestimated the measured VO2 sub max. The B-L nomogram was not recommended as a protocol for use by the USAF. Phase 1B: Fifty-eight males and 61 females, 18 to 48 years of age, completed this study to develop new submaximal cycle ergometer protocols and prediction equations to estimate VO2 sub max. Ramp (registered) and ramp to steady-state (RSS) protocols, six prediction equations for men, and three prediction equations for women were developed. Phase 2: Thirty-one males and 36 females, 18 to 40 years of age, completed this study comparing the 1-mile walk and USAF CE test for estimating VO2 sub max. There were no significant differences between the VO2 sub max estimated by these tests and the measured VO2 sub max A subset of this population (17 males and 20 females) also completed R and RSS tests. There were no significant differences between the measured and estimated VO2 sub max for the 1-mile walk, the USAF CE, the six new equations for men, and one of three new equations for women.
Prepared in collaboration with the U. S. Army Research Office, Research Triangle Park, NC.