With this in-mind, and winter confining us to the covered spaces of our Jackson gym, we set-out to design a functional, gym-based aerobic assessment. Partially because of the limitations of our facility and partially because of the importance of 3-5 second “rushes” in infantry tactics (19-22). Our programming employs a number of different distances, intervals and paces, but among the most popular is the 40ft shuttle. Weighted and unweighted interval-sprints are among our most used exercises. Although there are many variations to these tests (Yo-Yo IR1, Yo-Yo IR2, Montreal, Multistage, Shuttle, etc.), they are generally grouped together as “Beep Tests” (9-14).īeep tests are most prominent in sports settings where athletes’ aerobic requirements include longer, moderate efforts and short, intense intermittent sprints – like rugby, hockey and soccer (18).
To control an athlete’s speed, a timing device (usually an audio CD or file) beeps at a given interval to indicate the prescribed pace (4-7). These tests require athletes to complete continuous shuttle-style runs (typically 20 meters) at prescribed paces. Recently, the use of multi-stage fitness tests (MSFT) have become increasingly popular. The Copper Institute, a leader in aerobic fitness research, has a few protocols which can be used to estimate VO2max, including a 12-minute run for distance and 1.5-mile run/walk. They also developed a corresponding equation to estimate VO2max. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) created an assessment which can be completed on almost any treadmill.
Luckily there are ways to estimate VO2max. Unfortunately, accurately measuring VO2max typically requires expensive equipment, time-consuming protocols and individual testing. The only measure which correlated to ski performance was VO2max, which was highest amongst the most accomplished female and male racers – averaging over 56ml/kg/min and 60ml/kg/min, respectively (17). In a study examining the dominant Austria National Ski Team, over 30 different physiological variables were examined to determine their relationship with world class ski success. A 2012 study found that applicants to the Canadian Special Operations Regiment who had a VO2max over 55 ml/kg/min where about 6x more likely to successfully complete the program (16). We also know that VO2max is an important metric for both tactical athletes and mountain athletes. VO2max is typically used as a predictor of endurance potential and is considered the premier measure of an athlete’s aerobic capacity. It is measured in absolute terms (liters of oxygen used per min – L/min) and relative terms (milliliters of oxygen used per kilogram per min – ml/kg/min). VO2max or maximal oxygen consumption is a measure of an individual’s ability to utilize oxygen during increased exercise demand.
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