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Journal of Sports Sciences

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The Conconi test is not valid for estimation of the lactate turnpoint in runners
Andrew M. Jones & Jonathan H. Doust Version of record first published: 26 Nov 2010.

To cite this article: Andrew M. Jones & Jonathan H. Doust (1997): The Conconi test is not valid for estimation of the lactate turnpoint in runners, Journal of Sports Sciences, 15:4, 385-394 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/026404197367173

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Jour nal of Sports Sciences , 1997, 15 , 385 - 394

The Conconi test is not valid for estimation of the lactate turnpoint in runners
A N D R E W M . JO N E S * and JO N AT H A N H . D O U ST
H um an Perform ance Laborator y, Chelsea School Research Centre , U niversity of B r ighton , E astbour ne B N20 7SP, UK

Accepted 16 October 1996

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Conconi et al . (1982) reported that an observed deviation from linearity in the heart rate - running velocity relationship determined during a eld test in runners coincided with the `lactate threshold . The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the original Conconi test using conventional incremental and constant-load laboratory protocols. Fourteen trained male distance runners (mean 6 s: age 22.6 6 3.4 years; body mass O 2 66.3 6 4.7 ml kg - 1 m in - 1 ) performed a standard multi-stage test for determination of 67.6 6 4.8 kg; peak V lactate turnpoint and a Conconi test on a motorized treadmill. A deviation from linearity in heart rate was observed in nine subjects. Signi cant differences were found to exist between running velocity at the lactate turnpoint (4.39 6 0.20 m s- 1 ) and at deviation from linear heart rate (5.08 6 0.25 m s- 1 ) ( P < 0.01), and between heart rate at the lactate turnpoint (172 6 10 beats min - 1 ) and at deviation from linearity (186 6 9 beats min - 1 ) ( P < 0.01). When deviation of heart rate from linearity was evident, it occurred at a system atically higher intensity than the lactate turnpoint and at approxim ately 95% of maxim um heart rate. These results were con rmed by the physiological responses of seven subjects, who perform ed two constant-velocity treadm ill runs at 0.14 m s - 1 below the running velocity at the lactate turnpoint and that at which the heart rate deviated from linearity. For the lactate turnpoint trial, the prescribed 30 min exercise period was completed by all runners (term inal blood lactate concentration of 2.4 6 0.5 m M ), while the duration attained in the trial for which heart rate deviated from linearity was 15.9 6 6.7 m in (terminal blood lactate concentration of 8.1 6 1.8 m M ). We concluded that the C onconi test is invalid for the non-invasive determination of the lactate turnpoint and that the deviation of heart rate from linearity represents the start of the plateau at maxim al heart rate, the expression of which is dependent upon the speci cs of the Conconi test protocol.

K eywords : Conconi test, lactate turnpoint, running intensity.

Introduction
O2 T he `anaerobic threshold , de ned as the exercise V above which anaerobic high-energy phosphate production supplem ents aerobic high-energy phosphate production (Wasserm an et al ., 1994), has long been recognized as an important determ inant of endurance exercise perform ance (Davies and T hom pson, 1979; Sjodin and Jacobs, 1981; Tanaka et al ., 1986). T he

* Address all correspondence to Andrew M. Jones, Departm ent of Exercise and Sport Science, the M anchester Metropolitan U niversity, Crewe + Alsager Faculty, Hassall Road, Alsager, Cheshire ST7 2HL, U K. 0264 - 0414/97 1997 E & FN Spon

determ ination of the anaerobic threshold has traditionally required laboratory exercise and blood sam pling procedures for the assessm ent of the exercise intensity above which lactate starts to accum ulate in the blood (lactate threshold), or sophisticated gas analysis apparatus if the anaerobic threshold is de ned by non-invasive gas exchange m ethods (Wasserm an et al., 1973). C onconi et al . (1982) reported the developm ent of a non-invasive eld test of the anaerobic threshold after hypothesizing that anaerobic energy production would `spare aerobic demand and result in a reduced rate of O (and heart rate) above the anaerobic increase in V 2 threshold. T his test, which was to become know n as the `Conconi test , was sim ply based upon the relationship

386 between heart rate and running velocity in runners perform ing an incremental exercise protocol. Conconi et al . (1982) reported that beyond a certain subm axim al running velocity, the previously linear relationship between heart rate and running velocity was lost, such that the increase in running velocity exceeded the increase in heart rate. The C onconi group validated this point of deviation in heart rate against m easurem ents of blood lactate obtained during an unconventional protocol in the eld, and reported coincidence between running velocity at which heart rate deviated from linearity and that at the `lactate threshold (Conconi et al ., 1982). The C onconi m ethod was later supported in a num ber of other activities (Droghetti et al ., 1985; C ellini et al., 1986; D roghetti, 1986) and population groups (M affulli et al., 1987; Ballarin et al ., 1989; Baraldi et al., 1989) using Conconis original techniques. In Europe, the C onconi test is now widely used to assess endurance capacity and to guide training prescription. Recently, a num ber of studies have independently assessed the validity of the C onconi test, but these have produced contradictory results. Som e studies have demonstrated disparity between the exercise intensities corresponding to a deviation in heart rate from linearity and to the anaerobic threshold (Kuipers et al., 1988; Tokm akidis and Leger, 1988, 1992; Francis et al ., 1989; Zacharogiannis and Farrally, 1993), whereas others have con rmed the validity of the m ethod (H ofm ann et al., 1994; Bunc et al ., 1995). However, the blood lactate or gas exchange criteria used to de ne the anaerobic threshold have differed between studies, with som e authors using the second lactate threshold or lactate turnpoint in their com parisons (H ofm ann et al ., 1994; Bunc et al ., 1995; Pokan et al., 1995). In addition, the m ethods used to com pare the C onconi test with these criteria are at times open to criticism. C onconi et al . (1982) used an incremental protocol of xed distance (and thus a reducing stage duration) to facilitate eld testing, but others (Ribeiro et al., 1985; Kuipers et al., 1988; Francis et al., 1989; Zacharogiannis and Farrally, 1993; Hofm ann et al ., 1994; Bunc et al ., 1995; Pokan et al., 1995) have used m odi cations of the original C onconi test protocol. O nly two studies (Heck and Hollm ann, 1992; Hofmann et al., 1994), both of which used cycle ergom etry, have attem pted to exam ine the physiological responses of subjects to continuous exercise at or close to the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity. Evaluation of the physiological responses to constant-load exercise is useful in determ ining the effectiveness of training prescriptions based on the results of increm ental tests. This lack of data m akes it dif cult to evaluate the validity of the Conconi test.

Jones and Doust

T he aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Conconi test as originally reported (C onconi et al ., 1982) using conventional increm ental and constantload laboratory protocols in well-trained distance runners.

M ethods
Subjects Fourteen m ale distance runners provided written inform ed consent once the possible risks and bene ts of the experim ental procedures were fully explained to them . T he study was approved by the C helsea School Ethics Com mittee. All subjects were well-trained and experienced in laborator y exercise testing procedures. Their m ean ( 6 s) age, height, body m ass, sum of four O 2 peak skinfolds (Durnin and Wom ersley, 1974), V and m axim al heart rate (determ ined during the lactate turnpoint test, see below) were 22 6 3 years, 176 6 5 cm, 67.6 6 4.8 kg, 25.4 6 4.6 m m , 66.3 6 4.7 m l kg - 1 m in - 1 and 195 6 10 beats m in - 1 , respectively. The subjects were instructed to arrive at the laborator y for testing in a rested and fully hydrated state. The exercise tests took place at least 4 h after eating and at the sam e tim e of day to m inim ize the effects of diurnal biological variability (Reilly et al ., 1984). The detailed training records kept by the subjects over the course of the study con rmed that the laboratory visits were preceded by a day or two of rest or very light training. General procedures All exercise tests were undertaken on a m otorized Woodway ELG 2 treadm ill (CadioKinetics, Salford, UK ) set at 1% grade to com pensate for the lack of air resistance during treadm ill running such that the energetic cost was equivalent to running outdoors (Jones and D oust, 1996). T he subjects perform ed a consistent individual warm -up before each treadm ill test, and wore the sam e running shoes and lightweight running apparel on each occasion. D uring all tests, heart rate was recorded every 5 s with an EC G-calibrated Polar Sport Tester heart rate m onitor (Polar Electro, Kem pele, Finland). Study 1 : D etermination of the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity and of the lactate tur npoint The aim of this rst study was to assess the validity of the deviation in heart rate from linearity in the noninvasive identi cation of the work intensity corresponding to the lactate turnpoint derived from a conventional

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The Conconi test and the lactate turnpoint

m ulti-stage laboratory protocol. The Conconi test and the lactate turnpoint test were presented in random order separated by 3 - 8 days. For the Conconi test, subjects began running at a subm axim al velocity of 3.33 m s - 1 , reached over a period of 1 - 2 m in. Running velocity was then increased by 0.14 m s - 1 at the com pletion of each consecutive 200 m according to the speci cations of Conconi et al. (1982). Increm ents in running velocity were attained within 5 s. T he heart rates recorded at the com pletion of each 200 m stage were used in the subsequent generation of individual heart rate - running velocity plots (C onconi et al., 1982). For the assessm ent of the lactate turnpoint, the subjects com pleted ve to seven exercise stages of 4 m in duration at a subm axim al running velocity estim ated to O . T his protocol require 60 - 90% of individual peak V 2 was sim ilar to that recently validated by Weltm an et al . (1990). T he tests began at 3.61 - 4.17 m s - 1 depending on the ability of the subject, and running velocity was increased by 0.28 m s - 1 at the com pletion of each stage. Serial collections of exp ired air into D ouglas bags were m ade during the last m inute of each stage for subsequent calculation of respiratory gas exchange variables by standard form ulae. The concentration of O 2 and C O 2 in the expired air was determ ined by sam pling through a param agnetic transducer (Servom ex Series 100, Crowborough, UK) and an infrared analyser (Servom ex M odel 1490), respectively. The gas analysers were calibrated before and after each test using certi ed standard gases. Volum es were determined using a dry gas m eter (Harvard Instrum ents, Edenbridge, U K), previously calibrated against a T issot spirom eter. O n com pletion of each exercise stage, running was brie y interrupted to allow the collection of ngertip capillar y blood sam ples. T he ngertip was cleaned with an alcohol swab, dried and punctured with an autom ated lancet before 30 m l of blood were collected in a capillar y tube containing a uoride/heparin/nitrite m ixture. In general, the interruptions in exercise did not exceed 20 s. It has been dem onstrated that blood lactate concentrations are not altered signi cantly w hen 30 s breaks are taken between exercise stages of 4 m in duration (Gullstrand et al ., 1994). Following m ixing, the blood was assayed in duplicate for w hole blood lactate concentration (Analox GM 7, UK ). The lactate turnpoint test was also used for the O . After com pletion of the determ ination of peak V 2 nal subm axim al stage, the treadm ill grade was increased to 5% to elicit a supramaxim al workload. The subjects were encouraged to run for as long as possible for this nal stage, during w hich exp ired air was collected every 30 s. Volitional exhaustion was norm ally

387 O 2 recorded in any reached in 3 - 4 m in. T he highest V O value. 30 s period was taken as the peak V 2 T he data were plotted, coded and presented blindly to two experienced physiologists who were asked to identify: (1) the running velocity at w hich heart rate began to increase less rapidly with increm ents in running velocity during the Conconi test (i.e. the rst clear departure from linearity in the heart rate - running velocity plots), and (2) the running velocity at which the second `sudden and sustained increase in blood lactate occurred (Davis et al ., 1983; H ofm ann et al., 1994; Bunc et al ., 1995). The lactate turnpoint occurs at an appreciably higher m etabolic rate than the ` rst lactate threshold described in the early literature, which referred to a clear increase in arterial blood lactate above baseline (Wasserm an et al., 1973). In welltrained runners, the lactate turnpoint typically occurs O max, and lies between a blood lactate at 75 - 85% V 2 concentration of 2.5 and 4.0 m M w hen whole blood is assayed (Jones and D oust, 1994). W hen the two reviewers were unable to agree in the determ ination of the lactate turnpoint or the point at which heart rate deviated from linearity (approximately 10% of cases), a third reviewer acted as arbitrator. Running velocity at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M was determ ined by interpolation (Heck et al ., 1985).

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Study 2 : Performance at running intensities corresponding to the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity and at the lactate tur npoint To assess the physiological responses to training prescriptions m ade from determ ination of the lactate turnpoint and the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity, seven of the nine subjects who demonstrated such a deviation in linearity in Study 1 agreed to perform constant-velocity treadm ill runs at 0.14 m s - 1 below the running velocity at the lactate turnpoint and the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity. These runs were perform ed by all subjects within 2 weeks of the com pletion of Study 1, were presented in random order and were separated by 2 - 5 days. It was hypothesized that if these two conditions provided good estim ates of the m axim al lactate steady-state for continuous constant-load exercise, then subjects should be capable of sustaining work at these running velocities for 30 m in without any appreciable accumulation of blood lactate. T he runs were perform ed at 0.14 m s - 1 below the lactate turnpoint and below the point at which the heart deviates from linearity because 0.14 m s - 1 represented the m inim um possible error in the determ ination of the latter condition. For both runs, the prescribed running velocity was reached over a

388 period of 2 m in, and the subjects then ran for 30 m in or to exhaustion if this occurred before 30 m in had elapsed. Heart rate was recorded throughout the runs, and blood lactate determ inations were m ade every 5 m in through out the runs and at exhaustion, as described above.

Jones and Doust Results

Study 1 : C om parison of the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity and the lactate tur npoint For the C onconi test, a deviation in heart rate from linearity was noted in nine subjects with the remaining ve subjects demonstrating linear relationships between heart rate and running velocity (Table 1 and Fig. 1). On average, the running velocity at w hich heart rate deviated from linearity was 13% higher than that at the lactate turnpoint ( P < 0.01), and 8% higher than at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M ( P < 0.01) (Table 1 and Fig. 2). A signi cant difference was also noted between the running velocity at the lactate turnpoint and that at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M ( P < 0.01). Signi cant correlations ( P < 0.05) existed between the running velocities at which heart rate deviated from linearity and at the lactate turnpoint ( r = 0.73), those at which heart rate deviated from linearity and at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M ( r = 0.74), and those at the lactate turnpoint and at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M ( r = 0.87).

Statistical analysis T he signi cance of differences between data sets were analysed by one-way analysis of variance with paired t tests where appropriate. Pearson product - m om ent correlation coef cients were used to test for relationships between variables. Sim ple linear regression analysis was used to create individual regression equations of the O = mv + c , where v = running velocity. W hile form V 2 O are considerably we appreciate that the kinetics of V 2 m ore com plex above the anaerobic threshold (Barstow and M ole, 1991), this approach was used sim ply to O required at the deviaprovide an estim ate of the V 2 tion of heart rate from linearity. The 5% level was chosen a priori to represent statistical signi cance.

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F igure 1 Representative demonstration of a linear relationship between heart rate and running velocity (subject C.R.) and the existence of the heart rate deviation point (subject T.A.).

The Conconi test and the lactate turnpoint

Table 1 Running velocity (RV) and heart rate (HR) at the lactate turnpoint (LTP), at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M and at the Concini test heart rate deviation point (HR d e v )

389

LTP Subject T.A. R.H. S.W. D.L. D.R. G.B. A.V. R.M. S.O. I.G. C.S. C.R. D.J. S.B. M ean s
N .D.

4 mM RV (m s - 1 ) 5.25 4.33 4.22 4.58 4.94 4.33 4.78 4.75 5.00 4.31 4.06 4.67 4.83 4.64 4.62 0.34 HR (beats min - 1 ) 183 165 179 188 174 182 175 189 200 183 172 187 175 160 179 10 RV (m s - 1 ) 5.14 5.00 4.58 5.00 5.42 5.00 5.14 5.00 5.42 N .D . N .D . N .D . N .D . N .D . 5.08 0.25

HR d e v HR (beats min - 1 ) 177 184 180 190 177 191 177 191 204 N .D . N .D . N .D . N .D . N .D . 186 9

RV (m s - 1 ) 4.72 4.31 4.17 4.44 4.44 4.31 4.58 4.31 4.72 4.17 4.03 4.31 4.44 4.44 4.39 0.2

HR (beats min - 1 ) 168 163 176 183 163 178 165 180 194 178 170 173 156 156 172 10

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no heart rate deviation point observed.

Signi cant differences were noted between heart rate at the lactate turnpoint and at deviation from linearity ( P < 0.01), and between heart rate at the lactate turnpoint and at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M ( P < 0.01) (Table 1). There was a signi cant difference between heart rate at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M and at deviation from linearity ( P < 0.05). Signi cant correlations ( P < 0.05) were found to exist between heart rate at the lactate turnpoint and at deviation from linearity ( r = 0.89), between heart rate at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M and at deviation

from linearity ( r = 0.74), and between heart rate at the lactate turnpoint and at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M ( r = 0.87) Extrapolation of individual regression equations of V O 2 on running velocity, calculated from data collected during the lactate turnpoint test, indicated that the running velocity at the point at which heart rate deviated from linearity would require 93.0 6 8.3% of peak O . This was signi cantly higher than the percentage V 2 O of peak V used at the lactate turnpoint 2 (80.8 6 3.4%) ( P < 0.01).

Table 2 Physiological responses to constant-velocity running at 0.5 km h - 1 below the lactate turnpoint (LTP) and 0.5 km h - 1 below the heart rate deviation point (HR d e v )

Subject T.A. R.H. D.L. D.R. G.B. A.V. R.M . M ean s

RV-LTP (m s - 1 ) 4.58 4.17 4.31 4.31 4.17 4.44 4.17 4.31 0.39

Time (m in) 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 0

BLa (m M ) 3 2.4 2.8 1.5 2.5 2.6 2.2 2.4 0.5

HR (beats m in - 1 ) 175 164 177 159 175 156 175 169 9

RV-HR d e v (m s - 1 ) 5 4.86 4.86 5.28 4.86 5 4.86 4.97 0.39

Tim e (min) 30 18 13 10 15 14 11.5 15.9 6.7

BLa (m M ) 4.9 10 9.5 9.3 8.7 7.9 6.5 8.1 1.8

HR (beats min - 1 ) 187 191 194 178 191 188 189 188 5

Abbreviations : RV-LTP, running velocity at the lactate turnpoint; RV-HR d e v, running velocity at H R d e v ; BL a, blood lactate concentration.

390 Study 2 : Physiolog ical responses at running intensities corresponding to the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity and at the lactate tur npoint All seven subjects com pleted 30 min of running at 0.14 m s - 1 below the running velocity at the lactate turnpoint (Table 2). Heart rate increased slightly (by about 5 - 10 beats m in - 1 ) over the 30 m in period to reach 169 6 9 beats m in - 1 . Blood lactate was stable over the 30 m in (on average there was a 0.1 m M increase in blood lactate from 10 to 30 m in) (Fig. 3). T he m ean blood lactate concentration at the com pletion of the 30 m in run (2.4 6 0.5 m M ) did not differ signi cantly from the m ean blood lactate concentration at the lactate turnpoint. Only one subject was able to com plete the 30 m in run at 0.14 m s - 1 below the running velocity at which heart rate deviated from linearity. All other subjects term inated exercise before 30 m in had elapsed due to general fatigue. For the group as a w hole, m ean exercise duration at this intensity was 15.9 6 6.7 m in (range 10 - 30 m in) (Fig. 3). Blood lactate did not attain a steady-state at this running velocity in any subject;

Jones and Doust

rather, blood lactate rose continuously until exercise was term inated. The m ean blood lactate concentration m easured at term ination of exercise was 8.1 6 1.8 m M (range 4.9 - 10.0 m M ). M ean heart rate at the term ination of exercise was 188 6 5 beats m in - 1 , equal to 99% of m axim al heart rate.

D iscussion
The C onconi test was originally designed for the noninvasive determ ination of the anaerobic threshold in the eld. Although our experim ents were laboratory-based, we contend that if the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity is a viable physiological phenomenon, then it should be equally demonstrable using identical procedures under controlled conditions in the laboratory. U sing the C onconi protocol under laboratory conditions, 9 of 14 subjects tested demonstrated a deviation in heart rate linearity. The remaining ve subjects exhibited a linear relationship between heart rate and running velocity. This failure to observe reliably in all

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F igure 2 Location of the lactate turnpoint (LTP), 4 m M blood lactate concentration and heart rate deviation point (HR d e v ) in a typical subject (A.V.).

The Conconi test and the lactate turnpoint

subjects a deviation in heart rate from linearity has been reported previously and has been recognized as a lim itation to the Conconi test (Ribeiro et al ., 1985; Kuipers et al ., 1988; Tokm akidis and Leger, 1988; H eck and H ollm ann, 1992; Jones and D oust, 1995). The running velocity at which heart rate deviates from linearity, measured using the Conconi test protocol, was found to be signi cantly higher than that at the lactate turnpoint and at a blood lactate concentration of 4 m M , m easured during a conventional m ulti-stage protocol. T hese results con rm those of Tokm akidis and Leger (1992), who, using sim ilar m ethods, reported a signi cant difference between running velocity at the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity and that at the lactate threshold in 17 athletes of com parable physiological status to the subjects in the present study. This difference persisted even when more objective m athematical techniques were used (Tokmakidis and Leger, 1992). T hese results suggest that the deviation in heart rate from linearity is not valid for the indirect estim ation of the lactate turnpoint, and that the two are subserved by different physiological m echanisms. It is possible that the coincidence between the

391 lactate threshold and the point at w hich heart rate deviates from linearity, reported by Conconi et al . (1982), is the result of inadvertent m ethodological and m athem atical bias in the original validation procedure, w ith these elem ents conspiring to produce an arti cially elevated `lactate threshold . C onconi et al. (1982) had their subjects perform six 1200 m runs, three above and three below the predeterm ined heart rate deviation point, and sam pled blood for lactate analysis 5 m in after the com pletion of each run. T heir de nition of `lactate threshold was the intersection of two straight lines drawn through the three lactate points below and through the three lactate points above the point at which heart rate deviates from linearity. The use of such a procedure is likely to result in close ag reement between the lactate threshold, so de ned, and the heart rate deviation point (Leger and Tokmakidis, 1988). T he physiological responses of our subjects to two constant-velocity runs, performed just below the running velocities at the lactate turnpoint and at the point at w hich heart rate deviates from linearity, substantiated the ndings of our rst study. All subjects ( n = 7) were able to com plete 30 m in of running at 0.14 m s - 1

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F igure 3 Individual blood lactate responses to continuous running at 0.14 m s - 1 below the running velocity at the heart rate deviation point ( n = 7). The mean response of the individuals to running at 0.14 m s - 1 below the running velocity at the lactate turnpoint (RV-LTP) is shown for comparison.

392 below the running velocity at the lactate turnpoint and showed no sym ptom s of fatigue, whereas they could only continue running for 15.9 6 6.7 min at 0.14 m s - 1 below the running velocity at the heart rate deviation point before reaching volitional exh austion. T his is the rst study to demonstrate that work at intensities close to the heart rate deviation point cannot be sustained without appreciable accum ulation of blood lactate and early fatigue during running. The large standard deviation in the latter condition was due to one subject w ho was able to com plete the 30 m in exercise period, despite recording m axim um heart rate at the end of his test and reporting exhaustion at this point. It should be pointed out that the constant-velocity runs were perform ed at a velocity of only 3% below that at the heart rate deviation point. T he day-to-day variability in the determ ination of this deviation point is not known. It is therefore possible that, during the runs designed to be at a running velocity that would elicit a heart rate below that at which the heart rate deviated from linearity, som e subjects m ay have exceeded this heart rate. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that w hen the lactate turnpoint is determ ined using m ulti-stage exercise tests with stage durations of 2 - 4 m in and sm all intensity increm ents (as in the present study), it provides a valid approxim ation of the m axim al lactate steady-state for continuous constantload exercise (Weltman et al., 1990; Aunola and Rusko, 1992; Jones, 1994). T his would suggest that the running velocity at which heart rate deviates from linearity is signi cantly higher than that at the m axim al lactate steady-state. In support of this, H eck and Hollm ann (1992) reported that only 6 of 22 cyclists were able to m aintain work at 90 - 100% of the work intensity at the heart rate deviation point for 30 m in; the others were forced to stop prem aturely owing to fatigue. In contrast, Hofmann et al . (1994) concluded that the m axim al steady-state lay w ithin 6 10% of the power output at the heart rate deviation point in a study of 16 untrained fem ale students. It is possible that training status is important w hen the validity of the C onconi test is being considered. H owever, our results indicate that, in well-trained distance runners, the Conconi test will overestim ate the running velocity at m axim al lactate steady-state and lead to high-intensity training prescriptions in the m ajority of individuals. In well-trained distance runners, a continuous m axim al run of about 16 min duration (as for our subjects when running at 0.14 m s - 1 below the velocity at which heart rate deviates from linearity in Study 2) would O m ax (Davies and require approxim ately 95% V 2 T hom pson, 1979; Leger et al ., 1986). This is in keeping O 2 required to run at the velocity with the estim ated V O ), at which heart deviates from linearity (93% peak V 2 calculated using the individual regression equations of

Jones and Doust

O 2 on running velocity derived from the lactate turnV point test. Our calculations are sim ilar to those of Leger and Tokm akidis (1988), who estim ated that the running velocity at the heart rate deviation point was O 2 max. It is interequivalent to approximately 96% V O m ax) esting that it is at this relative intensity (95% V 2 that heart rate characteristically begins to plateau at its m axim um value, with a widening of the arterial- venous oxygen difference and an increase in cardiac output O up to being responsible for the further increase in V 2 O m ax (Davies, 1968). T he strong the attainm ent of V 2 correlation between the lactate turnpoint (or anaerobic threshold) and the deviation in heart rate from linearity found in this study and others (Ribeiro et al., 1985; Heck and Hollm ann, 1992; Zacharogiannis and Farrally, 1993), may be explained if the heart rate deviation point is related to the approach to, and the expression of, m axim al heart rate, as has been suggested previously (Jones and D oust, 1995). T he nature of the Conconi test protocol ( xed-distance stages) dictates that heart rate is recorded more frequently at high running velocities, leading to the production of a curvilinear relationship between heart rate and running velocity as the maxim al heart rate is attained (Jones and D oust, 1992). Strong correlations between physiological param eters such as the anaerobic threshold and O m ax are well established (Davies et al., 1976; V 2 Rusko et al ., 1980). In the present study, the m axim um heart rate and the heart rate at deviation from linearity were closely related ( r = 0.93), as were the m axim um heart rate and the heart rate at the lactate turnpoint ( r = 0.94). T he physiological m echanism s underpinning the deviation of heart rate from linearity are currently in dispute (Bunc et al., 1995; Pokan et al., 1995). Pokan et al. (1993) used radionuclide ventricular scintigraphy to study myocardial function during high-intensity exercise and concluded that the existence of such a deviation point is dependent upon an increase in the left ventricular ejection fraction. Pokan et al. (1995) could not demonstrate a signi cant relationship between the existence of the heart rate deviation point and individual patterns of increase in plasm a catecholam ines or blood lactate. There would appear to be no obvious physiological rationale to link alterations in myocardial function with the onset of blood lactate accum ulation during subm axim al exercise. In addition, Hansen et al . (1988) used 15, 30 and 60 W m in - 1 ram p exercise tests and showed that there was no reduction in the slope of O on power output for exercise above, com pared V 2 with exercise below, the anaerobic threshold for any test. The results of H ansen et al . (1988) are inconsistent with the theoretical basis to the Conconi test. In sum m ary, the present study has shown that the Conconi test, as originally described (Conconi et al .,

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The Conconi test and the lactate turnpoint

1982), is invalid for the non-invasive estimation of the lactate turnpoint, since the running velocity and heart rate at which the latter deviates from linearity were found to be signi cantly higher than the values at the lactate turnpoint determ ined with a standard m ultistage laboratory protocol. Furtherm ore, this study is the rst to dem onstrate that continuous constant-velocity running close to the heart rate deviation point leads to signi cant accum ulation of blood lactate and the rapid developm ent of fatigue in well-trained runners.

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work output and heart rate. Scandinavian Jour nal of Sports Science , 8 , 59 - 62. Droghetti, P., Borsetto, C., Casoni, I., Cellini, M ., Ferrari, M ., Pauolini, A.R., Ziglio, P.G. and Conconi, F. (1985). Non-invasive determination of the anaerobic threshold in canoeing, cross-country skiing, cycling, roller and iceskating, rowing and walking. E uropean Jour na l of Applied Physiolog y, 53 , 299 - 303. Durnin, J.V.G.A. and Womersley, J. (1974). Body fat assessed from total body density and its estimation from skinfold thickness: Measurements on 481 men and women aged from 16 to 72 years. B ritish Jour nal of N utr ition , 32 , 77 - 97. Francis, K.T., M cClatchey, P.R., Sum ison, J.R. and Hansen, D.E. (1989). The relationship between anaerobic threshold and heart rate linearity during cycle ergometry. European Jour nal of A pplied Physiology, 59 , 273 - 277. Gullstrand, L., Sjodin, B. and Svedenhag, J. (1994). Blood sampling during continuous running and 30-second intervals on a treadmill: Effects on the lactate threshold results? Scandinavian Jour nal of M edicine and Science in Sports , 4 , 239 - 242. Hansen, J.E., Casaburi, R., Cooper, D.M . and Wasserman, K. (1988). Oxygen uptake as related to work rate increm ent during cycle ergometer exercise. E uropean Jour nal of A pplied Physiology, 57 , 140 - 145. Heck, H. and Hollmann, W. (1992). Identi cation, objectivity and validity of C onconi threshold by cycle stress tests. O sler Jour nal Sportsm edizin , 22 , 35 - 53. Heck, H., Mader, A., Hess, G., M ucke, S., Muller, R. and Hollmann, W. (1985). Justi cation of the 4 mmol/l lactate threshold. Inter nation al Jour nal of Sports M edicin e , 6 , 117 - 130. Hofmann, P., Bunc, V., Leinter, H., Pokan, R. and Gaisl, P. (1994). Heart rate threshold related to lactate turnpoint and steady-state exercise on a cycle ergom eter. E uropean Jour nal of A pplied Physiology , 69 , 132 - 139. Jones, A.M. (1994). The assessment of endurance capacity in competitive runners. Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Brighton. Jones, A.M . and Doust, J.H. (1992). Conconis heart rate deviation is an artefact of xed distance protocol. Jour nal of Sports Sciences , 10 , 559. Jones, A.M . and Doust, J.H. (1994). Disparity between exercise intensity at lactate threshold and at the 4 m M blood lactate reference value increases with maximal aerobic power in runners. Jour na l of Sports Sciences, 12 , 141. Jones, A.M . and Doust, J.H. (1995). Lack of reliability in Conconis heart rate de ection point. Inter nation al Jour nal of Sports M edicine , 16 , 541 - 544. Jones, A.M . and Doust, J.H. (1996). A 1% treadmill grade m ost accurately re ects the energetic cost of outdoor running. Jour nal of Sports Sciences , 14 , 321 - 327. Kuipers, H., Keizer, H.A., De Vries, T., van Rijthoven, P. and W ijts, M . (1988). Comparison of heart rate as a non-invasive determinant of anaerobic threshold with the lactate threshold when cycling. E uropean Jour na l of Applied Physiolog y, 58 , 303 - 306.

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