Nautilus T9.16 Owner's Manual page 25

MORE WORKOUTS: FIT TEST PROGRAM
exercise test. The T9.16 treadmill uses the most current published equation developed to estimate the average
maximal heart rate as follows:
•
Maximal heart rate = 215 minus (0.75 x age)
Maximal heart rate can, however, vary greatly among different individuals of the same age. One standard
deviation is ±12 bpm, which means that two-thirds of the population varies an average of plus or minus 12 heart
beats from the average given by a prediction equation. If an individual's age-predicted maximal heart rate is
higher than that person's true maximal heart rate, then his/her estimated VO
the correct or actual value.
The fi nal assumption addresses the issue of mechanical effi ciency. Oxygen uptake at any given work rate can
vary by approximately 15% between different individuals. Therefore, individuals vary in the amount of oxygen
they require to perform a certain exercise workload. Some individuals are more effi cient at performing a given
task than others. As a result, the average oxygen consumption associated with a given workload may vary
signifi cantly from one person to another. Thus, VO
overestimated for those who are mechanically effi cient and underestimated for those who are ineffi cient.
The point to remember is that sub-maximal exercise testing, though not as precise as maximal exercise testing,
is not without advantages. For example, the results of such testing can provide a fairly accurate refl ection of
an individual's fi tness status without the cost, risk, effort (on the part of the subject) and time involved in max
testing. If an individual is given repeated sub-maximal exercise tests and that person's heart rate response to
a fi xed workload is found to decrease over time, it is reasonably safe to conclude that the individual has made
improvements in aerobic (cardiorespiratory) fi tness, irrespective of the accuracy of the VO
Pretest Screening
Prior to any exercise test (maximal or sub-maximal), participants should complete a brief health/medical
questionnaire, have their resting blood pressure and heart rate measured, and provide an informed consent
form. The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) is an example of a valid health/medical
questionnaire for screening individuals prior to sub-maximal exercise testing. Canadian health and fi tness
practitioners have extensively (and quite successfully) used the PAR-Q to determine whether individuals
should be given an exercise test. A "yes" answer to any of the following seven questions taken from the
PAR-Q would disqualify a participant from taking part in an exercise test until appropriate medical clearance
was obtained.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY READINESS QUESTIONNAIRE (PAR-Q)
1. Has your doctor ever said you have a heart condition and recommended only medically supervised physical
activity?
2. Do you have chest pain brought on by physical activity?
2 max
predicted by sub-maximal exercise tests tends to be
2 max
will be an overestimation of
prediction.
2 max
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