The multistage 20 metre shuttle run test for aerobic fitness

Abstract

A maximal multistage 20 m shuttle run test was designed to determine the maximal aerobic power of schoolchildren, healthy adults attending fitness class and athletes performing in sports with frequent stops and starts (e.g. basketball, fencing and so on). Subjects run back and forth on a 20 m course and must touch the 20 m line; at the same time a sound signal is emitted from a prerecorded tape. Frequency of the sound signals is increased 0.5 km h^‐1 each minute from a starting speed of 8.5 km h^‐1. When the subject can no longer follow the pace, the last stage number announced is used to predict maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) (Y, ml kg^‐1 min^‐1) from the speed (X, km h^‐1) corresponding to that stage (speed = 8 + 0.5 stage no.) and age (A, year): Y=31.025 + 3.238 X ‐ 3.248A + 0.1536.AX, r = 0.71 with 188 boys and girls aged 8–19 years. To obtain this regression, the test was performed individually. Right upon termination VO₂ was measured with four 20 s samples and VO₂max was estimated by retroextrapolating the O₂ recovery curve at time zero of recovery. For adults, similar measurements indicated that the same equation could be used keeping age constant at 18 (r=0.90, n = 77 men and women 18–50 years old). Test‐retest reliability coefficients were 0.89 for children (139 boys and girls 6–16 years old) and 0.95 for adults (81 men and women, 20–45 years old). Normal data are also available for schoolchildren and adults and estimated VC₂max were found comparable to other tests and/or populations.