Comparison of Maximal Oxygen Uptakes from the Tethered, the 183- and 457-Meter Unimpeded Supramaximal Freestyle Swims

Abstract

Nineteen high school swimmers (13 male and 6 female) were subjects in an investigation that compared three methods for determining maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Oxygen uptakes were measured during a maximal tethered swim (T), and immediately following 200-yd (183 m) and 500-yd (457 m) unimpeded supramaximal swims from a single 20-s expired gas sample. Oxygen uptakes from the 183-m and 457-m swims correlated highly with those of the T swim (r = 0.94). In addition, VO2s from the 183-m swims were very similar to the VO2s of the 457-m swims (r = 0.96). Mean (+/- SE) VO2max from the T, the 183-m, and the 457-m swims, respectively, were 3.13 (+/- 0.19), 3.20 (+/- 0.19), and 3.20 (+/- 0.17) l/min. There were no significant differences among the three means (p greater than 0.05). This study demonstrates that a single 20-s recovery gas sample from unimpeded supramaximal freestyle swims is an accurate method to determine swimming VO2max.