Resumen de Comparison of the Gauntlet Test With Standard Laboratory Measures of Aerobic Fitness
Marissa L. Burnsed-Torres, Therese K. Wichmann, Zachary S. Clayton, Michael E. Hahn
The purpose of this study was to validate whether the Gauntlet test (GT) can accurately estimate individual aerobic endurance performance compared with standard laboratory-based physiological tests. The GT required athletes to complete 5 maximal effort running stages, with a 1-minute break between each stage, with the goal of achieving the best overall time. Eighteen men (n = 9) and women (n = 9) (age, 23.5 +/- 4.13 years; body mass index, 23.1 +/- 7.62 kg[middle dot]m-2; 5k time, 22 +/- 7 minutes; 10k time, 47 +/- 15 minutes; V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, 52.3 +/- 8 ml[middle dot]kg-1[middle dot]min-1) completed a lactate threshold test and V[Combining Dot Above]O2max test (laboratory measures). Four to 14 days later, subjects completed the GT on an outdoor track. Blood lactate (bLa), V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, and heart rate (HR) were recorded during the laboratory session. Blood lactate, HR, stage completion time, and overall completion time were recorded during the GT. Linear regression correlation analyses revealed a significant inverse association between V[Combining Dot Above]O2max (mL[middle dot]kg-1[middle dot]min-1) and GT completion time (r = -0.88, P < 0.0001). In addition, there were significant correlations between V[Combining Dot Above]O2max maximum HR and GT maximum HR (r = 0.89, P < 0.0001) and V[Combining Dot Above]O2max 3-minute post bLa and GT 3-minute post bLa (r = 0.63, P = 0.0029). Sex-specific analysis showed significant inverse associations between female and male GT completion time and V[Combining Dot Above]O2max (r = -0.70, P = 0.0352; r = -0.94, P < 0.0002). Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate concordance between GT completion time, V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, maximum HR, and 3-minute post bLa. Results suggest the GT is a valid assessment to accurately estimate aerobic endurance performance similar to standard laboratory methods.
