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An Examination and Critique of Current Methods to Determine Exercise Intensity

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Abstract

Prescribing the frequency, duration, or volume of training is simple as these factors can be altered by manipulating the number of exercise sessions per week, the duration of each session, or the total work performed in a given time frame (e.g., per week). However, prescribing exercise intensity is complex and controversy exists regarding the reliability and validity of the methods used to determine and prescribe intensity. This controversy arises from the absence of an agreed framework for assessing the construct validity of different methods used to determine exercise intensity. In this review, we have evaluated the construct validity of different methods for prescribing exercise intensity based on their ability to provoke homeostatic disturbances (e.g., changes in oxygen uptake kinetics and blood lactate) consistent with the moderate, heavy, and severe domains of exercise. Methods for prescribing exercise intensity include a percentage of anchor measurements, such as maximal oxygen uptake (\({\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{{\text{2max}}}}\)), peak oxygen uptake (\({\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{{\text{2peak}}}}\)), maximum heart rate (HRmax), and maximum work rate (i.e., power or velocity—\({\dot{\text{W}}}_{{\max}}\) or \({\dot{\text{V}}}_{{\max}}\), respectively), derived from a graded exercise test (GXT). However, despite their common use, it is apparent that prescribing exercise intensity based on a fixed percentage of these maximal anchors has little merit for eliciting distinct or domain-specific homeostatic perturbations. Some have advocated using submaximal anchors, including the ventilatory threshold (VT), the gas exchange threshold (GET), the respiratory compensation point (RCP), the first and second lactate threshold (LT1 and LT2), the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS), critical power (CP), and critical speed (CS). There is some evidence to support the validity of LT1, GET, and VT to delineate the moderate and heavy domains of exercise. However, there is little evidence to support the validity of most commonly used methods, with exception of CP and CS, to delineate the heavy and severe domains of exercise. As acute responses to exercise are not always predictive of chronic adaptations, training studies are required to verify whether different methods to prescribe exercise will affect adaptations to training. Better ways to prescribe exercise intensity should help sport scientists, researchers, clinicians, and coaches to design more effective training programs to achieve greater improvements in health and athletic performance.

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source of energy is derived via oxidative phosphorylation. The blood lactate concentration during heavy exercise increases above baseline and then attains a steady state. In contrast, the blood lactate during severe exercise continues to rise above baseline with an absence of a steady state

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Notes

  1. \({\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{{\text{2max}}}}\): refers to the maximal oxygen uptake value from an 8- to 12-min GXT confirmed via a verification exhaustive bout (VEB); \({{\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}}_{{{\text{2peak}}}}\): refers to the peak oxygen uptake value from a < 8- or > 12-min GXT or a \({\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{2}}\) value not confirmed via a VEB [14].

  2. The extreme domain is a supramaximal domain and defined as an intensity too extreme to permit attainment of \({\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{{\text{2max}}}}\) prior to fatigue. Methods to appropriately demarcate the extreme domain are beyond the scope of this review and will not be discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

    Nicholas A. Jamnick & David J. Bishop

  2. Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, UT, USA

    Robert W. Pettitt

  3. Department of Diabetes, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Cesare Granata

  4. Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE), University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia

    David B. Pyne

Authors
  1. Nicholas A. Jamnick
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  2. Robert W. Pettitt
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  3. Cesare Granata
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  4. David B. Pyne
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  5. David J. Bishop
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Contributions

Nicholas Jamnick and David Bishop conceived the article. Nicholas Jamnick conducted the literature search and wrote the original manuscript draft. All authors critically revised and contributed to the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Nicholas A. Jamnick.

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No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

Dr. Nicholas Jamnick, Prof Robert W. Pettitt, Dr. Cesare Granata, Prof. David Pyne, and Prof. David Bishop declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Jamnick, N.A., Pettitt, R.W., Granata, C. et al. An Examination and Critique of Current Methods to Determine Exercise Intensity. Sports Med 50, 1729–1756 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01322-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01322-8

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