Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 14, 2026
09:24
A Rapidly Incremented Tethered-Swimming Maximal Protocol for Cardiorespiratory Assessment of Swimmers
Published on: January 28, 2020
9.4K
A Ramp Protocol with Increasing Incline and Additional Weight for Special Operation Forces Provides a Valid
Alain Dössegger1,2, Leonid Zberg1,3, Thomas Gsponer4
1Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen SFISM, Magglingen 2532, Switzerland.
Military Medicine
|October 17, 2025
Summary
A new treadmill test with a weighted vest and incline accurately measures aerobic endurance for military and police Special Operations Forces (SOF) and load-bearing athletes. This protocol provides task-specific data for individuals carrying loads on steep terrain.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Science
- Military Performance
Background:
- Assessing aerobic endurance in Special Operations Forces (SOF) and load-bearing athletes requires protocols simulating real-world conditions, including carried load and terrain.
- Traditional cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) protocols may not fully capture the physiological demands of these specific populations and activities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel ramped treadmill test protocol that incorporates a weighted vest (12.6 kg) and incremental incline.
- To compare the validity of this new protocol against a standard speed-ramped protocol for measuring aerobic capacity.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-three trained volunteers underwent both the novel vest-loaded, incline-ramped protocol and a standard speed-ramped protocol in a randomized order.
- Measurements included breath-by-breath oxygen uptake (V˙O2) and heart rate at ventilatory thresholds (VT1, VT2) and maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max).
- Statistical analysis employed Bland-Altman plots, two one-sided tests (TOST), and Bayesian range of practical equivalence (ROPE) to assess agreement.
Main Results:
- The mean test duration was similar for both protocols (710 ± 85 sec).
- V˙O2max values were practically equivalent between protocols, with a mean difference of -0.2 ml/kg/min.
- While strict equivalence was not confirmed by TOST, Bayesian analysis showed 100% of the posterior within the pre-defined range of practical equivalence for V˙O2max.
Conclusions:
- The developed vest-loaded, incline-ramped CPET protocol yields practically equivalent V˙O2max values compared to traditional speed-ramped protocols.
- This new protocol is suitable for accurately assessing aerobic capacity in SOF and athletes performing load-bearing activities on varied terrain.
- It offers a more task-specific testing experience, enhancing the relevance of physiological data for these demanding groups.
