title: The Reliability and Validity of the 3-min All-out Cycling Critical Power Test.
abstract: Research suggests that critical power (CP) can be estimated from a single 3-min bout of all-out cycling. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of the 3-min all-out cycling test when carried out at a constant cadence (isokinetic) and against a fixed resistance (linear). 12 participants completed 8 tests: 1) a ramp test; 2-4) 3 fixed power tests to calculate CP and W' using the 1/time mathematical model; 5-8) four 3-min all-out tests to calculate EP and WEP; 2 isokinetic and 2 linear tests. There was no significant difference between EP-isokinetic and CP (P=0.377). There were significant differences between EP-linear and CP (P=0.004), WEP-isokinetic and W' (P<0.001) and WEP-linear and W' (P<0.001). The coefficient of variation in EP-isokinetic, EP-linear, WEP-isokinetic and WEP-linear was 1.93, 1.17, 8.44 and 5.39%, respectively. The 3-min all-out isokinetic test provides a reliable estimate of EP and a valid estimate of CP. The 3-min all-out linear test provides a reliable estimate of EP, but not a valid estimate of CP. Furthermore, these results suggest that the 3-min all-out test should not be used to estimate W'.
authors.affiliation: School of Sport, Health and Social Sciences, Southampton Solent University, Southampton, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: School of Sport, Health and Social Sciences, Southampton Solent University, Southampton, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Stewart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruce-Low
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport & Exercise, University of Winchester, Winchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jobson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D015203:Reproducibility of Results