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C HA NG I N G T H E G A M E I N H EA LT H A N D F I T N E S S
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The fi nal assumption addresses the issue of
mechanical effi ciency. Oxygen uptake at any given
work rate can vary by approximately 15% between
different individuals. Therefore, individuals vary
in the amount of oxygen they require to perform
a certain exercise workload. Some individuals
are more effi cient at performing a given task
than others. As a result, the average oxygen
consumption associated with a given workload
may vary signifi cantly from one person to another.
Thus, VO2 max predicted by sub-maximal exercise
tests tends to be overestimated for those who
are mechanically effi cient and underestimated for
those who are ineffi cient.
The point to remember is that sub-maximal exercise
testing, though not as precise as maximal exercise
testing, is not without advantages. For example, the
results of such testing can provide a fairly accurate
refl ection of an individual’s fi tness status without
the cost, risk, effort (on the part of the subject)
and time involved in max testing. If an individual is
given repeated sub-maximal exercise tests and that
person’s heart rate response to a fi xed workload is
found to decrease over time, it is reasonably safe to
conclude that the individual has made improvements
in aerobic (cardio respiratory) fi tness, irrespective of
the accuracy of the VO2 max prediction.
Pretest Screening
Prior to any exercise test (maximal or sub-maximal),
participants should complete a brief health/
medical questionnaire, have their resting blood
pressure and heart rate measured, and provide
an informed consent form. The Physical Activity
Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) is an example of
a valid health/medical questionnaire for screening
individuals prior to sub-maximal exercise testing.
Canadian health and fi tness practitioners have
extensively (and quite successfully) used the
PAR-Q to determine whether individuals should be
given an exercise test. A “yes” answer to any of the
following seven questions taken from the PAR-Q
would disqualify a participant from taking part in an
exercise test until appropriate medical clearance
was obtained.
Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
1. Has your doctor ever said you have a heart
condition and recommended only medically
supervised physical activity?
2. Do you have chest pain brought on by
physical activity?
3. Have you developed chest pain within the
past month?
4. Do you tend to lose consciousness or fall over as a
result of dizziness?
5. Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be
aggravated by the proposed physical activity?
6. Has a doctor ever recommended medication for
your blood pressure or a heart condition?
7. Are you aware, through your own experience
or a doctor’s advice, of any other physical
reason against your exercising without medical
supervision?
Nautilus
®
Sub-Maximal Fit Test
The Nautilus
®
Fit Test is a program that estimates
maximal aerobic capacity based on heart-rate
response to sub-maximal exercise.
The protocol is a series of 3-minute stages of
continuous exercise at increasing intensity. The
fi rst stage is a warm-up at approximately 4 METs.
The intensity of the remaining stages is based
on the heart rate response to the warm-up. The
test is designed to raise the steady state heart
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