Cardiorespiratory Fitness Assessment

1
Cardiorespiratory Fitness Assessment

• Chapter 4 - Heyward
• Chapter 4 - ACSM

2
Definition

• Cardiorespiratory Fitness
• The ability to perform large muscle, dynamic,
  moderate-intensity exercise for prolonged periods
  of time
• Dependent upon the fitness of the
• respiratory system
• cardiovascular system
• skeletal muscles

3
Importance of CR Fitness

• Deconditioned individuals have a higher risk of
  premature death than conditioned individuals
• Increasing CR fitness is associated with
  reductions in all-cause mortality
• High CR fitness generally means the individual
  performs physical activity, which is associated
  with health benefits

4
VO2max

• Single best measure of cardiorespiratory fitness
• VO2max COmax X a-vO2 differencemax

5
Assessment of CR Fitness

• Assessing VO2max (aerobic capacity)
• Direct Measurement Estimation
• Maximal GXT Submax/Maximal GXT
• Protocol?? Protocol??

6
Assessment of CR Fitness

• Assessing VO2max (aerobic capacity)
• Direct Measurement Estimation
• Maximal GXT Submax/Maximal GXT

7
Direct Assessment of VO2max

• Direct Measurement open-circuit spirometry
  (maximal)
• measurement of respiratory gases, ventilation
• laboratory procedure
• Requires maximal graded exercise test (GXT)
• requires experienced personnel
• requires calibration

8
Graded Exercise Test (GXT)

• Multistage, incremented test
• Stages are between 2-3 minutes
• HR, RPE, BP measured
• Progressive up to a pre-determined end point
• Exhaustion (max)
• Achievement of desired HR
• See GXT procedures, p. 52 Heyward

9
Assessment of CR Fitness

• Assessing VO2max (aerobic capacity)
• Direct Measurement Estimation
• Maximal GXT Submax/Maximal GXT

10
Estimation of VO2max

• Estimation
• Submaximal or maximal tests
• respiratory gases not measured
• lab or field tests - validated against gold
  standard

11
Submaximal Tests

• Uses HR at one or more submaximal intensities to
  ESTIMATE VO2max
• Based on several assumptions (p. 68 ACSM)
• linear relationship between HR and VO2 with
  increasing exercise intensity or power output
• steady-state HR is reached
• must control factors that might alter HR response
• assumes a max HR based on age (10-15 error)

12
Linear relation between HR and VO2
Maximum
13
Using Submax HRs to Predict Maximal
To increase accuracy, these HRs must be
steady-state and not be affected by outside
factors
14
Extrapolation
Lines are extrapolated to PREDICTED HRmax. There
is error here.
15
Submaximal Testing to Estimate VO2max

• General Procedures p. 71 ACSM
• Estimating VO2max p. 75 ACSM
• Cycle ergometer tests
• work rate kgm.min-1
• Astrand-Rhyming (single-stage)
• YMCA (GXT)