Verification phase as a useful tool in the determination of the maximal oxygen uptake of distance runners

This study investigated the utility of a verification phase for increasing confidence that a "true" maximal oxygen uptake had been elicited in 16 male distance runners (mean age (+/-SD), 38.7 (+/- 7.5 y)) during an incremental treadmill running test continued to volitional exhaustion. After the incremental test subjects performed a 10 min recovery walk and a verification phase performed to volitional exhaustion at a running speed 0.5 km.h(-1) higher than that attained during the last completed stage of the incremental phase. Verification criteria were a verification phase peak oxygen uptake or= 3%) lower than the peak values attained in the incremental phase. Further research is required to improve the verification procedure before its utility can be confirmed.