Estimating the total energy demand for supra-maximal exercise using the (V)over-dot-O2-power regression from an incremental exercise test

The VO2-power regression and estimated total energy demand for a 6-minute supra-maximal exercise test was predicted from a continuous incremental exercise test. Sub-maximal VO2-power co-ordinates were established from the last 40 seconds (s) of 150-second exercise stages. The precision of the estimated total energy demand was determined using the 95% confidence interval (95% Cl) of the estimated total energy demand. The linearity of the individual VO2-power regression equations was determined using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The mean 95% Cl of the estimated total energy demand was 5.9 +/- 2.5 mL O-2 Eq.kg(-1).min(-1), and the mean correlation coefficient was 0.9942 +/- 0.0042. The current study contends that the sub-maximal VO2-power co-ordinates from a continuous incremental exercise test can be used to estimate supra-maximal energy demand without compromising the precision of the accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD) method.