The multistage 20 metre shuttle run test for aerobic fitness

TLDR: 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, indicating that the same equation could be used keeping age constant at 18.

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 retroextrap...