Reliability of Time Spent Near V̇ o2 max During 2 Cycling Interval Training Sessions: The Effect of V̇ o2 max Criteria.

Abstract

Abstract: Raimundo, JAG, Tramontin, AF, Martins, EC, Borszcz, FK, Turnes, T, de Aguiar, RA, and Caputo, F. Reliability of time spent near V̇ o2 max during 2 cycling interval training sessions: the effect of V̇ o2 max criteria. J Strength Cond Res 39(9): e1067-e1074, 2025-This study aimed to determine the reliability of the time spent near V̇ o2 max (tV̇ o2 max) during 2 work-matched cycling interval trainings and to compare tV̇ o2 max reliability using different V̇ o2 max criteria. Fifteen healthy males participated in this cross-sectional and crossover study. The participants performed on different days, an incremental ramp test followed by a V̇ o2 max verification test, and a test-retest model to analyze tV̇ o2 max during 2 distinct work-matched interval training sessions. The interval training protocols comprised 5 × 2-minute efforts with 1-minute recovery (HIIT 2min:1min ) or 10 × 1-minute efforts with 30-second recovery (HIIT 1min:30s ) at 85% of the incremental peak power output, both followed by a V̇o 2 max verification test. Times sustained above 90 and 95% (t95V̇ o2 max) of V̇ o2 max were analyzed and were compared based on 3 different criteria: (a) V̇ o2 max from incremental and verification test (V̇ o2 max INC-VER ); (b) V̇ o2 max from the verification test on the training day (V̇ o2 max DAY ); and (c) mean V̇ o2 max from V̇ o2 max INC-VER and V̇ o2 max DAY . There were no significant differences in test-retest tV̇ o2 max; the only exception was t95V̇ o2 max during HIIT 1min:30s assessed by V̇ o2 max INC-VER . The typical error of measurement and coefficient of variation ranged from 28 to 61 seconds and 19%-35% for HIIT 2min:1min , and from 21 to 66 seconds and 36%-72% for HIIT 1min:30s . V̇ o2 max INC-VER reduced tV̇ o2 max coefficient of variation compared with V̇ o2 max DAY for HIIT 2min:1min , but not for HIIT 1min:30s . Despite similar test-retest, tV̇ o2 max exhibited low reliability, with no improvement when a V̇ o2 max verification test was included on the training day.