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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Determining the Contribution of the Energy Systems During Exercise
Published on: March 20, 2012
Development of a metabolic equation for elliptical crosstrainer exercise
1Department of Kinesiology, McPhee 227, 105 Garfield Avenue, P.O. Box 4004, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI 54702, USA. dalleclc@uwec.edu
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to develop an accurate metabolic prediction equation for elliptical crosstrainer (ECT) exercise. Male and female (n= 40) subjects (M+/- SD, age: 30+/-7 yr.; height: 173 +/- 11 cm; weight: 72.3 +/- 13.8 kg; body composition: 18.3 +/- 6.9%) completed two randomized testing sessions. Steady-state oxygen uptake (VO2) was measured, while subjects exercised on the ECT at nine separate workloads each testing session. Multiple regression analysis to predict steady-state VO2 from ECT resistance, ECT cadence, and subjects' body mass resulted in the following model (R2= .783): Steady-state VO2=3.5+/-0.15 (Cadence) + 1.22 (Resistance) - 0.11 (Weight). Both the standard error of the estimate (SEE) and total error (TE) for the prediction of steady-state VO2 under all ECT workload conditions combined were 2.8 mL/kg/min. The SEE and TE values are similar to those previously reported in the literature regarding the accuracy of metabolic equations for other exercise modalities. These findings support the use of the equation developed in the present study to predict steady-state VO2 for ECT exercise.
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