Estimation of maximal oxygen uptake using the heart rate ratio method in male recreational football players

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health in the general population. The heart rate (HR) ratio method (HR(ratio)) is a valid, easy and accessible method for estimating VO(2max) in well-trained subjects. This study examined the validity of using the HR(ratio) to estimate VO(2max) in recreational football players in the untrained and trained states. Sixty-six participants (age 39.3 ± 5.8 years) were tested pre-training and 28 after 12 weeks, for VO(2max) assessment, running on a treadmill alternating speed (1 km h(−1)) and inclination (1%) increments every 30 s until exhaustion. Maximal HR (HR(max)) was assessed directly with a multiple approach and estimated with selected equations. Resting HR (HR(rest)) was measured in supine position, after 15 min of rest. The HR(ratio) method considers the product of HR(max)/HR(rest) ratio by a theoretical proportionality factor (15 ml kg(−1) min(−1), TPF) to estimate VO(2max). This population-specific proportionality factor (SPF) was 14.6 ± 2.6 ml kg(−1) min(−1). In the untrained state (n = 66), participants’ actual VO(2max) (41.3 ± 6.2 ml kg(−1) min(−1)) was moderately lower (~ 2 ml kg(−1) min(−1)) than the estimated VO(2max) using the TPF. A nonsignificant difference (0.7 ml kg(−1) min(−1)) was found when the VO(2max) was estimated using the SPF. When using HR(max) equations and the TPF, a small nonsignificant difference (~ 1.5 ml kg(−1) min(−1)) was reported between actual and estimated VO(2max). In the trained state (n = 28), the estimated VO(2max) values were not significantly different from the actual VO(2max) (44.2 ± 5.2 ml kg(−1) min(−1)), with large effect sizes when considering TPF and estimated HR(max). The results of this study provide evidence of the applicability of HR(ratio) in estimating VO(2max) in male adult/middle-aged recreational football players.