This study examined the validity, reliability, and discriminatory capacity of the gallon-jug shelf-transfer (GJST) test. Six hundred fifty-three independent-living older adults (463 women age 72.9 +/- 7.0 years, 190 men age 74.3 +/- 6.7 years) participated. Participants moved five 1-gallon jugs (approximately 3.9 kg) from a knee-high to a shoulder-high shelf as quickly as possible. The GJST showed an exponential performance decline with age, and there were significant correlations between the GJST and common functional tests (p<.001). High within-day and between-days reliability was detected. The test also detected differences resulting from training status (p<.01) and training protocols (p<.05). The GJST is a valid, reliable, inexpensive, safe, and easily administered clinical test for identifying physically vulnerable elders who could benefit from interventions such as exercise to improve their physical capacities and maintain independence.

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Traditionally, it has been assumed that during middle-distance running oxygen uptake (VO2) reaches its maximal value (VO2max) providing the event is of a sufficient duration; however, this assumption is largely based on observations in individuals with a relatively low VO2max. The aim of this study was to determine whether VO2max is related to the VO2 attained (i.e. VO2peak) during middle-distance running on a treadmill. Fifteen well-trained male runners (age 23.3 +/- 3.8 years, height 1.80 +/- 0.10 m, body mass 76.9 +/- 10.6 kg) volunteered to participate in the study. The participants undertook two 800-m trials to examine the reproducibility of the VO2 response. These two trials, together with a progressive test to determine VO2max, were completed in a randomized order. Oxygen uptake was determined throughout each test using 15-s Douglas bag collections. Following the application of a 30-s rolling average, the highest VO2 during the progressive test (i.e. VO2max) was compared with the highest VO2 during the 800-m trials (i.e. VO2peak) to examine the relationship between VO2max and the VO2 attained in the 800-m trials. For the 15 runners, VO2max was 58.9 +/- 7.1 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1). Two groups were formed using a median split based on VO2max. For the high and low VO2max groups, VO2max was 65.7 +/- 3.0 and 52.4 +/- 1.8 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) respectively. The limits of agreement (95%) for test-retest reproducibility for the VO2 attained during the 800-m trials were +/- 3.5 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) for a VO2peak of 50.6 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) (the mean VO2peak for the low VO2max group) and +/- 2.3 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) for a VO2peak of 59.0 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) (the mean VO2peak for the high VO2max group), with a bias in VO2peak between the 800-m runs (i.e. the mean difference) of 1.2 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1). The VO2peak for the 800-m runs was 54.8 +/- 4.9 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) for all 15 runners. For the high and low VO2max groups, VO2peak was 59.0 +/- 3.3 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) (i.e. 90% VO2max) and 50.6 +/- 2.0 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) (i.e. 97% VO2max) respectively. The negative relationship (-0.77) between VO2max and % VO2max attained for all 15 runners was significant (P = 0.001). These results demonstrate that (i) reproducibility is good and (ii) that VO2max is related to the %VO2max achieved, with participants with a higher VO2max achieving a lower %VO2max in an 800-m trial on a treadmill.

Purpose:Previously it has been observed that, in well-trained 800-m athletes, VO2max is not attained during middle-distance running events on a treadmill, even when a race-type pacing strategy is adopted. Therefore, the authors investigated whether specialization in a particular running distance (400-m or 800-m) influences the VO2 attained during running on a treadmill.Methods:Six 400-m and six 800-m running specialists participated in the study. A 400-m trial and a progressive test to determine VO2max were completed in a counterbalanced order. Oxygen uptakes attained during the 400-m trial were compared to examine the influence of specialist event.Results:A VO2 plateau was observed in all participants for the progressive test, demonstrating the attainment of VO2max. The VO2max values were 56.2 ± 4.7 and 69.3 ± 4.5 mL · kg−1 · min−1 for the 400-m- and 800-m-event specialists, respectively (P = .0003). Durations for the 400-m trial were 55.1 ± 4.2 s and 55.8 ± 2.3 s for the 400-m- and 800-m-event specialists, respectively. The VO2 responses achieved were 93.1% ± 2.0% and 85.7% ± 3.0% VO2max for the 400-m- and 800-m-event specialists, respectively (P = .001).Conclusions:These results demonstrate that specialist running events do appear to influence the percentage of VO2max achieved in the 400-m trial, with the 800-m specialists attaining a lower percentage of VO2max than the 400-m specialists. The 400-m specialists appear to compensate for a lower VO2max by attaining a higher percentage VO2max during a 400-m trial.

Previous investigations have revealed that in well-trained middle-distance runners, oxygen uptake (VO 2 ) does not attain maximal values (VO 2max ) in exhaustive treadmill trials where the VO 2 demand exceeds VO 2max . To date, this shortfall in the VO 2 attained has been demonstrated in trials as short as 2 min in duration. In this study, we investigated whether a reduction in exhaustive test duration influences the VO 2 attained during running on a treadmill. Six middle-distance runners participated in the study, completing an exhaustive 400 m and 800 m trial. These trials, together with a progressive test to determine VO 2max , were completed in a counterbalanced order. Oxygen uptakes attained during the 400 m and 800 m trials were compared to examine the influence of exhaustive test duration. A plateau in VO 2 was observed in all participants for the progressive test, demonstrating the attainment of VO 2max . The mean speed, duration, and resulting distance in the constant-speed exhaustive trials were 25.8 km × h (1 (s01.2), 55.8 s (s 02.3), and 400.2 m (s 020.2) for the 400 m trial, and 24.3 km × h (1 (s00.8), 108.4 s (s 021.2), and 730.1 m (s0129.1) for the 800 m trial, respectively. A paired-samples t-test revealed a significantly different (P00.018)%VO 2max was attained for the 400 m (85.7%, s 03.0) and 800 m (89.1%, s05.0) trials. In conclusion, VO 2 did not reach VO 2max during the exhaustive constant-speed 400 m and 800 m trials, but the test duration does influence the%VO 2max achieved. Specifically, the VO 2 attained becomes progressively further below VO 2max as trial duration is reduced, such that 89% and 86% VO 2max is achieved in exhaustive 800 m and 400 m constant-speed trials, respectively.