Key references to Conconi's test

(From MEDLINE)

TI: Determination of the anaerobic threshold by a noninvasive field test in runners.
AU: Conconi-F; Ferrari-M; Ziglio-PG; Droghetti-P; Codeca-L SO: J-Appl-Physiol. 1982 Apr; 52(4): 869-73 ISSN: 0161-7567
PY: 1982
LA: ENGLISH
CP: UNITED-STATES
AB: The relationship between running speed (RS) and heart rate (HR) was determined in 210 runners. On a 400-m track the athletes ran continuously from an initial velocity of 12-14 km/h to submaximal velocities varying according to the athlete's capability. The HRs were determined through ECG. In all athletes examined, a deflection from the expected linearity of the RS-HR relationship was observed at submaximal RS. The test-retest correlation for the velocities at which this deflection from linearity occurred (Vd) determined in 26 athletes was 0.99. The velocity at the anaerobic threshold (AT), established by means of blood lactate measurements, and Vd were coincident in 10 runners. The correlation between Vd and average running speed (mean RS) in competition was 0.93 in the 5,000 m (mean Vd = 19.13 +/- 1.08 km/h; mean RS = 20.25 +/- 1.15 km/h), 0.95 in the marathon (mean Vd = 18.85 +/- 1.15 km/h; mean RS = 17.40 +/- 1.14 km/h), and 0.99 in the 1-h race (mean Vd = 18.70 +/- 0.98 km/h; mean RS = 18.65 +/- 0.92 km/h), thus showing that AT is critical in determining the running pace in aerobic competitive events.

TI: The Conconi test in not valid for estimation of the lactate turnpoint in runners.
AU: Jones-AM; Doust-JH
AD: Human Performance Laboratory, Chelsea School Research Centre, University of Brighton, UK.
SO: J-Sports-Sci. 1997 Aug; 15(4): 385-94 ISSN: 0264-0414
PY: 1997
LA: ENGLISH
CP: ENGLAND
AB: Conconi et al. (1982) reported that an observed deviation from linearity in the heart rate-running velocity relationship determined during a field test in runners coincided with the 'lactate threshold'. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the original Conconi test using conventional incremental and constant-load laboratory protocols. Fourteen trained male distance runners (mean +/-s: age 22.6 +/- 3.4 years; body mass 67.6 +/- 4.8 kg; peak VO2 66.3 +/- 4.7 ml kg-1 min-1) performed a standard multi-stage test for determination of lactate turnpoint and a Conconi test on a motorized treadmill. A deviation from linearity in heart rate was observed in nine subjects. Significant differences were found to exist between running velocity at the lactate turnpoint (4.39 +/- 0.20 m s-1) and at deviation from linear heart rate (5.08 +/- 0.25 m s-1) (P < 0.01), and between heart rate at the lactate turnpoint (172 +/- 10 beats min-1) and at deviation from linearity (186 +/- 9 beats min-1) (P < 0.01). When deviation of heart rate from linearity was evident, it occurred at a systematically higher intensity than the lactate turnpoint and at approximately 95% of maximum heart rate. These results were confirmed by the physiological responses of seven subjects, who performed two constant-velocity treadmill runs at 0.14 m s-1 below the running velocity at the lactate turnpoint and that at which the heart rate deviated from linearity. For the lactate turnpoint trial, the prescribed 30 min exercise period was completed by all runners (terminal blood lactate concentration of 2.4 +/- 0.5 mM), while the duration attained in the trial for which heart rate deviated from linearity was 15.9 +/- 6.7 min (terminal blood lactate concentration of 8.1 +/- 1.8 mM). We concluded that the Conconi test is invalid for the non-invasive determination of the lactate turnpoint and that the deviation of heart rate from linearity represents the start of the plateau at maximal heart rate, the expression of which is dependent upon the specifics of the Conconi test protocol.

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