Concurrent Validity and Reliability of an On-Floor 12 m Shuttle Run Test for Young Gymnasts

Adequate endurance capacity is crucial for training quality, recovery, and long-term development of gymnasts. The shuttle run test is a valid and efficient field test for estimating aerobic capacity (i.e., maximum oxygen uptake) in children and adolescents. Adapted to the indoor restrictions of an artistic gymnastics floor, a feasible 12 m shuttle run test was examined for its validity and absolute and relative reliability. Young gymnasts (n = 69; age: 12.3±1.6 y; body mass index: 17.6±2.0 kg*m^-2; training experience: 6.6±2.3 y), competing at trained and highly trained levels in artistic, trampoline, and rhythmic gymnastics, initially performed a laboratory treadmill test and two further 12 m shuttle run tests on a gymnastics floor. Oxygen uptake during laboratory and on-floor testing was assessed until objective exhaustion criteria were reached. The 12 m shuttle run test demonstrated good validity for relative maximal oxygen uptake (intraclass correlation coefficient_2,1: 0.82 and 95% confidence interval: 0.72-0.88) with moderate limits of agreement (95% confidence interval: -10.7-9.2 mL*kg^-1*min^-1) between the treadmill and the 12 m shuttle run test. The test-retest reliability of the 12 m shuttle run test for relative maximal oxygen uptake was good (intraclass correlation coefficient_2,1: 0.79, 95% confidence interval: 0.64-0.89). The on-floor 12 m shuttle run test serves as a sufficiently valid and reliable endurance testing tool, enabling the regular assessment with a potential classification of aerobic capacity requirements.