The main barrier to the wide use of maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) is the considerable time required to apply several sub- and supra-maximal exercise sessions. The main question of this study was whether the determination of MAOD using a single supramaximal exercise session (MAODALT) is valid and reliable in running. We investigated the effects of the supramaximal exercise intensity (A) and the reliability of a single supramaximal exercise session (B) to assess MAOD in treadmill running. For this aim 29 subjects participated in A & B studies with single allocation “A” (n=15) and “B” (n=14). The conventional MAOD and 8 MAODALT were determined in exhaustive efforts varying between 100–150% at an intensity associated with maximal oxygen uptake (i+V˙O2MAX). In B study 2 supramaximal efforts were applied to analyze the test-retest reliability. Non-significant differences were found between MAOD and the 8 values of MAODALT. Despite the MAOD being statistically correlated with the MAODALT 100% i+V˙O2MAX (0.49<r>0.59), MAODALT determined at 115% of i+V˙O2MAX (52.4±1.7 mL·kg−1) presented the higher correlation values (0.65<r>0.77) and concordance. In addition, the MAOD at 115% of i+V˙O2MAX presented high test-retest reliability. MAODALT determined at 115% of i+V˙O2MAX was a valid and reliable method to assess MAOD in running.
Key words
blood lactate concentration - glycolytic metabolic pathway - phosphagen metabolic pathway - supramaximal efforts