Specificity of treadmill and cycle ergometer tests in triathletes, runnersand cyclists

The objective of this study was to evaluate the viability of using a single test in which cardiorespiratory variables are measured, to establish train ing guidelines in running and/or cycling training activities. Six triathlet es (two females and four males), six runners (two females and four males) a nd six males cyclists, all with 5.5 years of serious training and still inv olved in racing, were tested on a treadmill and cycle ergometer. Cardioresp iratory variables [e.g., heart rate (HR), minute ventilation, carbon dioxid e output ((V) over dot CO2)] were calculated relative to fixed percentages of maximal oxygen uptake ((V) over dot O-2max, from 50 to 100%). The entire group of subjects had significantly (P < 0.05) higher values of (V) over d ot O-2max on the treadmill compared with the cycle ergometer [mean (SEM) 4. 7 (0.8) and 4.4 (0.9) l . min(-1), respectively], and differences between t ests averaged 10.5% for runners, 6.1% for triathletes and 2.8% for cyclists . A three-way analysis of variance using a 3 x 2 x 6 design (groups x tests x intensities) demonstrated that all factors yielded highly significant F- ratios (P < 0.05) for all variables between tests, even though differences in HR were only 4 beats . min(-1). When HR was plotted against a fixed perc entage of (V) over dot O-2max, a high correlation was found between tests. These results demonstrate that for triathletes, cyclists and runners, the r elationship between HR and percentage of (V) over dot O-2max, obtained in e ither a treadmill or a cycle ergometer test, may be used independently of a bsolute (V) over dot O-2max to obtain reference HR values that can be used to monitor their running and/or cycling training bouts.