Assessment of maximal aerobic power in specifically trained athletes

Maximal aerobic power of 37 athletes (14 females and ten male cross-country skiers, eight male rowers and five male cyclists) was determined during uphill running on the treadmill and during maximal performance of their specific sport activity. For the skiers a significantly (P less than 0.005) higher VO2max was found during uphill skiing than during running, the differences being 2.9 and 3.1% for the females and males, respectively. The rowers and cyclists obtained a difference of 4.2 and 5.6%, respectively (P less than 0.01). The largest individual differences between the two test procedures were 12.2, 5.4, 14.3, and 7.9% for female and male cross-country skiers, rowers, and cyclists, respectively. It is concluded that in evaluation of maximal aerobic power of atheletes, it becomes important to select a work situation which allows optimal use of the specifically trained muscle fibres. This means that the test preferably should be identical with the subjects' specific sport activity, under the assumption that a reasonably large muscle mass is engaged during the performance.