Key result
Decremental exercise testing fails to increase peak VO2 compared with incremental protocols in trained athletes.
Why the study?
The maximal oxygen uptake achieved during incremental versus decremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing protocols in highly trained athletes was unclear.
Do decremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing protocols elicit higher maximal oxygen uptake compared to incremental protocols in trained runners and rowers?
Do decremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing protocols elicit higher maximal oxygen uptake compared to incremental protocols in trained runners and rowers?
Decremental exercise testing protocols do not elicit higher VO2max than classic incremental tests in trained athletes, confirming that the plateau in incremental tests represents true maximum aerobic power.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Decremental protocols yield equivalent VO2max to incremental testing in trained athletes; leaves open advantages in other populations or settings.
The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the maximal oxygen uptake ( V̇ V ˙ O2max) achieved during incremental and decremental protocols in highly trained athletes. Nineteen moderate trained runners and rowers completed, on separate days, (i) an initial incremental V̇ V ˙ O2max test (INC) on a treadmill, followed by a verification phase (VER); (ii) a familiarization of a decremental test (DEC); (iii) a tailored DEC; (iv) a test with decremental and incremental phases (DEC-INC); (v) and a repeated incremental test (INCF). During each test V̇ V ˙ O2, carbon dioxide production, ventilation, heart and breath rates and ratings of perceived exertion were measured. No differences were observed in V̇ V ˙ O2max between INC (61.3 ± 5.2 ml kg−1 min−1) and DEC (61.1 ± 5.1 ml kg−1 min−1; average difference of ~ 11.58 ml min−1; p = 0.831), between INC and DEC-INC (60.9 ± 5.3 ml kg−1 min−1; average difference of ~ 4.8 ml min−1; p = 0.942) or between INC and INCF (60.7 ± 4.4 ml kg−1 min−1; p = 0.394). V̇ V ˙ O2max during VER (59.8 ± 5.1 ml kg−1 min−1) was 1.50 ± 2.20 ml kg−1 min−1 lower (~ 2.45%; p = 0.008) compared with values measured during INC. The typical error in the test-to-test changes for evaluating V̇ V ˙ O2max over the five tests was 2.4 ml kg−1 min−1 (95% CI 1.4–3.4 ml kg−1 min−1). Decremental tests do not elicit higher V̇ V ˙ O2max than incremental tests in trained runners and rowers, suggesting that a plateau in V̇ V ˙ O2 during the classic incremental and verification tests represents the maximum ceiling of aerobic power.
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Sousa et al. (2021) studied Healthy athletes (n=19). Decremental exercise testing protocol (DEC) vs. Incremental exercise testing protocol (INC) was evaluated on Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) (MD 0.17, p=0.831). Decremental exercise testing protocols do not elicit higher maximal oxygen uptake than traditional incremental protocols in trained runners and rowers (61.1 vs 61.3 ml/kg/min, p=0.831).
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