A Proposed Test for Determining Physical Working Capacity at the Heart Rate Threshold

Abstract

Forty-four subjects were given an all-out run test on a motor driven treadmill. The times for attaining heart rates of 150, 160, 170, 180 beats per minute were recorded along with measurements of ventilation, oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production. The correlations between heart rate times and the all-out run times increased with the heart rate, a correlation of .85 calculated at the rate of 180 beats per minute. Using criteria established by Balke, it was demonstrated that the 180 heart rate serves as a valid cut-off point in measuring circulorespiratory capacity under variable exercise stress conditions.