ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to validate an equation used for predicting the oxygen cost of leg cycle ergometry. This equation was previously shown to be more accurate than the one of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and appears as: VO2 (ml.min-1) = kgm.min-1 x 1.9 ml.min-1 + ((3.5 ml.kg-1.min-1 x kg body weight) + 260 ml.min-1). Fifty healthy males, ages 18-38 yr old, performed a six-stage (0, 180, 360, 540, 720, and 900 kgm.min-1) submaximal cycle ergometry test while their oxygen uptake was measured. Results indicated the standard error of estimate for the predicted oxygen consumption values ranged from 80-156 ml.min-1, with correlations between the actual and predicted values ranging from r = 0.35 to r = 0.67. Total errors ranged from 92-160 ml.min-1. All of the standard errors and total errors were lower and all of the correlations, except one, were higher at each power load in the validation sample than the original sample. These statistics support the generalizability and accuracy of the new equation. It would appear that the new equation may make accurate predictions in independent samples and is more precise than the ACSM equation.
