Functional translation of exercise responses from graded exercise testing to exercise training.
This study attempts to develop a quantitative approach to the prescription of absolute exercise intensity during level ground ambulation (min/mile) or cycle ergometry (kpm) from responses observed during GXT. A total of 345 subjects performed GXT and exercise training sessions with either the Bruce treadmill protocol and level ground ambulation (N = 154) or cycle ergometry (N = 191). Responses from 90% of each group were used to generate equations for predicting training pace (or power output) from the time (or power output) during the GXT when target HR was achieved. FAI was also included in the prediction of training pace (or power output). The remaining 10% of subjects in each group were used to cross-validate the prediction equations. The correlation between the time (or power output) during GXT when the training HR was observed and the pace of ambulation (or power output) was 0.70 for treadmill walking and 0.88 for cycle-cycle. Correlations were increased by the addition of FAI to the prediction equation. The results of this investigation suggest that the absolute intensity of exercise for training can be predicted accurately from GXT results.