The effects of exercise modality on the incidence of plateau at VO2max

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of exercise modality on the incidence of plateau at VO2max. Twelve recreationally active men (age, 21·7 ± 2·3 year; mass, 74·8 ± 6·5 kg; height, 177·6 ± 5·6 cm) completed four incremental tests to volitional exhaustion, of which two were completed on a treadmill (TRE) and two were completed using a cycle ergometer (CYC). The work rate employed for CYC was 1 W·2 s(-1) from an initial loading of 100 W with cadence being maintained at 60 rpm. For TRE, the workload (gradient) increased at a rate of 0·5% · 30 s(-1) while maintaining a constant running speed of 10 kph. Throughout all the trials, VO2 was determined on a breath-by-breath basis using a precalibrated metabolic cart. The criteria adopted for determination of a plateau was a Δ VO2 over the final two consecutive 30-s sampling periods of ≤50 ml · min(-1). Averaging across the two trials per each exercise modality showed a significant difference for plateau incidence between CYC (8%) and TRE (58%) (P = 0·017). This was aligned with a significant difference in the slope of the regression line during the final 60 s of the VO2max test, CYC (99·9 ± 49·7 ml · min(-1)) and TRE (49·6 ± 42·6 ml · min(-1)) (P = 0·017). Repeat measures ANOVA of these data suggests that plateau incidence rates at VO2max differ between treadmill- and cycle ergometry-based exercises. Future studies need to address whether these response rates are replicated in well-trained athletes.