title: Reliability of a Cycle Ergometer Peak Power Test in Running-based Team Sport Athletes: A Technical Report.
abstract: Given the importance of ensuring athletes train and compete in a nonfatigued state, reliable tests are required to regularly monitor fatigue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of a cycle ergometer to measure peak power during short maximal sprint cycle efforts in running-based team sport athletes. Fourteen professional male Australian rules footballers performed a sprint cycle protocol during 3 separate trials, with each trial separated by 7 days. The protocol consisted of a standardized warm-up, a maximal 6-second sprint cycle effort, a 1-minute active recovery, and a second maximal 6-second sprint cycle effort. Peak power was recorded as the highest power output of the 2 sprint cycle efforts. Absolute peak power (mean ± SD) was 1502 ± 202, 1498 ± 191, and 1495 ± 210 W for trials 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The mean coefficient of variation, intraclass correlation coefficient, and SE of measurement for peak power between trials was 3.0% (90% confidence intervals [CIs] = 2.5-3.8%), 0.96 (90% CIs = 0.91-0.98), and 39 W, respectively. The smallest worthwhile change for relative peak power was 6.0%, which equated to 1.03 W·kg⁻¹. The cycle ergometer sprint test protocol described in this study is highly reliable in elite Australian rules footballers and can be used to track meaningful changes in performance over time, making it a potentially useful fatigue-monitoring tool.
authors.affiliation: 1School of Exercise Science, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Australia; 2School of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; 3School of Exercise Science, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, Australia; and 4Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia.
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Wehbe
authors.forename: Tim J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gabbett
authors.forename: Timothy B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Hartwig
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Mclellan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult