Confirming Maximal Oxygen Uptake: Is Heart Rate the Answer?

This study investigates heart rate (HR), in 11 young adults (22.4±3.21yr), at V̇O2max , to ascertain whether measured maximal heart rate (HRmax ), as determined by a plateau in HR (HRplat ), can reliably confirm V̇O2max . V̇O2max and HRplat were determined, using the parameters of a V̇O2 ≤50 ml•min-1 and a ∆HR≤2b•min-1 , respectively, over the final 60 s of sampling. V̇O2 was also independently determined using a verification phase protocol. A HRplat was achieved by 91% of participants (∆HR=1.3±1b•min-1 ) and critically the time at which HRmax was reached coincided with that at which V̇O2max was achieved. Moreover RER and ΔRER criteria were reached significantly earlier (p<0.05) than V̇O2max , whilst age-related heart rate maximums (HRage ), were not achieved by many participants. The results suggest that a HRplat ≤2 b•min-1 is a more accurate method, within the group tested, to determine whether a 'true' V̇O2max has been achieved, than other secondary criteria and potentially avoids the requirement for an additional verification phase.