Abstract des Autors

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of subject drop-out on a multi-stage shuttle run test and a modified incremental shuttle run test in which speed was increased by 0.014 m/s every 20-m shuttle to avoid the need for verbal speed cues. Analysis of the multi-stage shuttle run test with 208 elite female netball players and 381 elite male lacrosse players found that 13(+/-3) players stopped after the first shuttle of each new level, in comparison with 5(+/-2) players on any other shuttle. No obvious drop-out pattern was observed on the incremental shuttle run test with 273 male and 79 female undergraduate students. The mean difference between a test-retest condition (n=20) for peak shuttle running speed (-0.03+/-0.01 m/s) and maximal heart rate (0.4+/-0.1 beats/min) on the incremental test showed no bias (P>0.05). The 95% absolute confidence limits of agreement were +/-0.11 m/s for peak shuttle running speed and +/-5 beats/min for maximal heart rate. The relationship (n=27) between peak shuttle running speed on the incremental shuttle run test (4.22+/-0.14 m/s) and VO2max (59.0+/-1.7 ml/kg/min) was r=0.91 (P<0.01), with a standard error of prediction of +/-2.6 ml/kg/min. These results suggest verbal cues during the multi-stage shuttle run test may influence subject drop-out. The incremental shuttle run test shows no obvious drop-out pattern and provides a valid estimate of VO2max. Verf.-Referat