Int J Sports Med 1986; 07(1): 26-29
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1025730
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Ventilatory Threshold Measurement to Evaluate Maximal Endurance Performance

T. Reybrouck, J. Ghesquiere, M. Weymans, A. Amery
  • Department of Physical Rehabilitation and Hypertension and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Pathophysiology University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Publication History

Publication Date:
14 March 2008 (online)

Abstract

The ventilatory (anaerobic) threshold during short-term exercise has been defined as the O2 uptake (V̇O2) immediately below the V̇O2 at which pulmonary ventilation (V̇E) increases disproportionally relative to V̇O2 and the ventilatory threshold for long-term exercise as the V̇O2 immediately below the VO2 at which the V̇E continues to increase with time rather than attain a steady state. Maximal endurance performance was determined by measurement of the maximal endurance time during treadmill runs at 90%, and 70% of the previously determined V̇O2max. The purpose of the present study was to investigate how maximal endurance performance was related to both ventilatory thresholds and to V̇O2max, and to select which variable best explained maximal endurance performance. The subjects were 11 healthy males. Maximal endurance performance was significantly correlated with the ventilatory threshold for long-term exercise and V̇O2max. A stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that maximal endurance performance was best predicted by the ventilatory threshold for long-term exercise. Combination of variables could not improve the prediction. It is concluded that the ventilatory threshold for long-term exercise better explains maximal endurance performance than V̇O2max or the ventilatory threshold during short-term exercise.