6533b7dbfe1ef96bd1270662

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Time trials versus time to exhaustion tests: Effects on critical 1 power, W′ and oxygen uptake kinetics

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Purpose: To investigate single-day time-to-exhaustion (TTE) and time trial (TT) based laboratory tests values of critical power (CP), Wprime (W') and respective oxygen kinetics responses. Methods: Twelve cyclists performed a maximal ramp test followed by three TTE and three TT efforts interspersed by a 60-min recovery between efforts. Oxygen uptake was measured during all trials. The mean response time (MRT) was calculated as a description of the overall V ̇O2 kinetic response from the onset to 2 min of exercise. Results: TTE determined CP was 279 ± 52W and TT determined CP was 276 ± 50W (P = 0.237). Values of W were 14.3 ± 3.4 kJ (TTE W') and 16.5± 4.2 kJ (TT W') (P = 0.028). Whilst a high level of agreement (-12 to 17 W) and a low prediction error of 2.7% was established for CP, for W limits of agreements were markedly lower (-8 to 3.7 kJ) with a prediction error of 18.8%. The mean standard error for TTE CP values was significantly higher than that for TT CP values (2.4 ± 1.9% vs. 1.2 ± 0.7% W). The standard error for TTE W and TT W were 11.2 ± 8.1% and 5.6 ± 3.6%, respectively. The V ̇O2 response was significantly faster during TT (~22 s) than TTE (~28 s). Conclusions: The time-trial protocol with a 60-min recovery period offers a valid, time-saving and less error containing alternative to conventional and more recent testing methods. Results however cannot be transferred to W'.