Anaerobic Capacityestimated in A Single Supramaximal Test in Cycling: Validity and Reliability Analysis

The aim was to verify the validity (i.e., study A) and reliability (i.e., study B) of the alternative maximal accumulated oxygen deficit determined using onlya supramaximal effort (MAOD ALT )to estimate anaerobic capacity [i.e., estimated by the gold standard maximal accumulated oxygen deficit method (MAOD)] during cycling. In study A, the effects of supramaximal intensities on MAOD ALT and the comparison with the MAOD were investigated in fourteen active subjects (26 ± 6 years). In study B, the test-retest reliability was investigated, where fourteen male amateur cyclists (29 ± 5 years) performed the MAOD ALT twice at 115% of the intensity associated to maximal oxygen uptake ("Equation missing"). MAOD ALT determined at 130 and 150% of "Equation missing" was lower than MAOD (p ≤ 0.048), but no differences between MAOD ALT determined at 100, 105, 110, 115, 120 and 140% of "Equation missing" (3.58 ± 0.53L; 3.58 ± 0.59L; 3.53 ± 0.52L; 3.48 ± 0.72L; 3.52 ± 0.61L and 3.46 ± 0.69L, respectively) with MAOD (3.99 ± 0.64L). The MAOD ALT determined from the intensities between 110 and 120% of "Equation missing" presented the better agreement and concordance with MAOD. In the test-retest, the MAOD ALT was not different (p > 0.05), showed high reproducibility when expressed in absolute values (ICC = 0.96, p < 0.01), and a good level of agreement in the Bland-Altman plot analysis (mean differences ± CI95%:−0.16 ± 0.53L). Thus, the MAOD ALT seems to be valid and reliable to assess anaerobic capacity in cycling.