Critical power estimation provides a good approximation of the power output associated with the maximal metabolic steady state in both trained and untrained participants
Date
2024-08-29
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Abstract
Critical power (CP) estimation is a well-established method to identify the power output (PO) associated with the maximal metabolic steady state (MMSS) of exercise. CP estimation requires multiple time to task failure (TTF) trials and the precision of this evaluation in untrained individuals could be questionable due to their inexperience with performing highly demanding efforts to volitional exhaustion. Thus, the goal of this study was to compare whether the accuracy of CP to approximate the MMSS was affected by the training status of the individuals. Participants underwent: i) a ramp incremental test to task failure to determine maximal oxygen consumption (V̇ O2max) and peak PO (POpeak); ii) a series of 4-5 TTF trials at average POs ranging from 70 to 90% of POpeak performed on separate days, to obtain TTF durations of ~3-15 min for CP estimations; iii) 2-3 30-min constant PO rides to establish MMSS. The PO associated to CP was significantly greater than that associated to MMSS in both untrained (155±39 W vs. 147±34 W, respectively) and trained (233±37 W vs. 225±39 W, respectively) individuals (F = 13.2, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.375, effect size d = 0.14). Despite this, no significant differences in the PO at CP and the PO at MMSS were observed between the untrained and trained groups (bias = 7.5 W for both groups; F = 0.01, p = 0.99, η2 = 0.001; statistical power = 99%) and for both groups, the biases were significantly greater than 0 (untrained z = 2.57; trained z = 2.95). The 95% CI for the LOA were -13 to 28 W, and -11 to 26 W for untrained and trained, respectively. These findings indicate that, despite a significant (albeit small) difference between CP and MMSS, the CP model provided a close approximation of the PO associated with the MMSS in both untrained and trained participants. This indicates that the quality of the CP model was not affected by training status, which suggests that previous experience with highly demanding exercise is not a key component of the quality of the prediction.
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Keywords
Exercise, Physiology, Critical Power, Maximal Metabolic Steady State, Maximal Lactate Steady State
Citation
Lindstrom, B. E. A. (2024). Critical power estimation provides a good approximation of the power output associated with the maximal metabolic steady state in both trained and untrained participants (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.