Incremental and decremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing protocols produce similar maximum oxygen uptake in athletes

Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the maximal oxygen uptake ( $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max) achieved during incremental and decremental protocols in highly trained athletes. Nineteen moderate trained runners and rowers completed, on separate days, (i) an initial incremental $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max test (INC) on a treadmill, followed by a verification phase (VER); (ii) a familiarization of a decremental test (DEC); (iii) a tailored DEC; (iv) a test with decremental and incremental phases (DEC-INC); (v) and a repeated incremental test (INCF). During each test $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2, carbon dioxide production, ventilation, heart and breath rates and ratings of perceived exertion were measured. No differences were observed in $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max between INC (61.3 ± 5.2 ml kg−1 min−1) and DEC (61.1 ± 5.1 ml kg−1 min−1; average difference of ~ 11.58 ml min−1; p = 0.831), between INC and DEC-INC (60.9 ± 5.3 ml kg−1 min−1; average difference of ~ 4.8 ml min−1; p = 0.942) or between INC and INCF (60.7 ± 4.4 ml kg−1 min−1; p = 0.394). $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max during VER (59.8 ± 5.1 ml kg−1 min−1) was 1.50 ± 2.20 ml kg−1 min−1 lower (~ 2.45%; p = 0.008) compared with values measured during INC. The typical error in the test-to-test changes for evaluating $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max over the five tests was 2.4 ml kg−1 min−1 (95% CI 1.4–3.4 ml kg−1 min−1). Decremental tests do not elicit higher $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2max than incremental tests in trained runners and rowers, suggesting that a plateau in $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ V ˙ O2 during the classic incremental and verification tests represents the maximum ceiling of aerobic power