title: Neuromuscular and metabolic comparisons between ramp and step incremental cycle ergometer tests.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We compared peak and submaximal mean values for neuromuscular and metabolic parameters between ramp (15 W · min(-1)) and step (30 W increments every 2 min) incremental cycle ergometer tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen healthy adults (7 men and 6 women; mean ± SD age = 23.4 ± 3.3 years) performed randomly ordered ramp or step incremental tests. Two-way repeated measures analyses of variance were used to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ramp incremental test resulted in lower mean EMG amplitude, O2, and HR values at the common power outputs, with no differences for MMG amplitude values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible that the cumulative effect of producing an increased amount of work during the step (total work = 75.83 kJ) vs. ramp (total work = 65.60 kJ) incremental cycle ergometer tests at the common power outputs may have contributed to the greater fatigue-induced increase in muscle recruitment and/or firing rate, oxygen consumption, and heart rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, Nebraska 68178, USA. jorgezuniga@creighton.edu
authors.forename: Jorge M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zuniga
authors.forename: Terry J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Housh
authors.forename: Clayton L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Camic
authors.forename: Haley C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Bergstrom
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Traylor
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Glen O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004576:Electromyography; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D009213:Myography; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult