Comparison of the talk test and percent heart rate reserve for exercise prescription

Abstract

Exercise intensity is traditionally prescribed using %HRmax, %HRR, %VO2max, or %VO2R. Recently, the Talk Test (TT) has been proposed as an alternative method to guide exercise intensity. However, it is unknown if prescribing exercise intensity solely using the TT can provoke training responses that are comparable to traditional guidelines. This study compared the responses to training using either the TT or %HRR. Forty-four subjects (17 males and 27 females: age=20.4±3.02 years; body height=170.5±9.79 cm; body weight=71.9±13.63 kg) completed an incremental maximal cycle ergometer test, were stratified by VO2max and gender, and randomly assigned to training groups guided by either %HRR (n=20) or the TT (n=24). Both groups completed 40-minute training sessions three days per week for 10 weeks. In the HRR group, exercise intensity was targeted (per ACSM guidelines) at 40-59% HRR for weeks 1-4, 50-59% HRR for weeks 5-8, and 60-79% HRR for weeks 9-10. In the TT group, exercise intensity was targeted at the highest power output (PO) that still allowed for comfortable speech. Changes in VO2max, peak power output (PPO), VO2 at ventilatory threshold (VT), and PO at VT were compared between the groups using two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. There were significant (p<.05) pre vs. post increases in VO2max (TT=10.6%; HRR=11.5%), PPO (TT=19%; HR=14%), VO2 at VT (T=32.7%; HRR=56.9%), and PO at VT (TT=43.1%; HRR=38.6%) in both groups, with no significant (p>0.05) interaction effect. Guiding exercise prescription using the TT is a simple and effective method for prescribing exercise intensity and elicits improvements in exercise performance that are comparable to the traditional %HRR guidelines.

The talk test—A costless tool for exercise prescription in Indian cardiac rehabilitation

“…The talk test is based on the concept used by mountain climbers in 1937 26 . The utility of the talk test, as a tool for exercise prescription, has been established in sedentary26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and trained33, 34 healthy young adults 35 . It has also been shown to be useful in Phase II and III CR of cardiac patients 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43.…”

“…The participant's response from the talk test is well correlated with therapist observation in graded exercise test literature 37, 39, 40. The talk test has been used while walking/running on treadmill,28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 41, 49 cycle ergometer,26, 27, 30, 31, 35, 36, 39, 40, 42 and track walking 41 . So, it can be easily administered in majority of day-to-day physical activities of cardiac patients.…”

“…Beverley et al also reported that exercise at the comfortable–difficult junction correspond with the upper limit of ACSM guidelines for healthy adults 49 . Furthermore, the talk test has been used for fitness training of sedentary healthy adults and correlated with % heart rate reserve (HRR) and RPE scores in a recent research 27 . Various studies on healthy adults recommend its use as a simple, validated tool for exercise prescription,33, 34 who do not require prior exercise testing 28, 48, 49.…”

Can the talk test be used to predict training induced changes in ventilatory threshold?

“…The TT has been shown to be a valuable tool for guiding exercise training as well. Porcari et al (2018) showed that exercise capacity improved, when measured by both VO 2 max and PO (Watts), regardless of whether training was guided by the %HRR method or by the TT. Participants in the TT group tended to exercise between 70-75% HRR, which is within the recommended zone according to the ACSM guidelines (2017).…”

Functional Translation of Exercise Responses from Exercise Testing to Exercise Training: The Test of a Model

“…The dominant model for subsequent exercise prescription is based on a percentage of the maximal exercise capacity (metabolic equivalents (METs)), heart rate (HR) or HR reserve (%HRR) [21], rating of perceived exertion (RPE) [22], or ventilatory threshold (VT) [23]. Recently, the talk test, which can be taken as a surrogate of VT, has been effectively used to prescribe exercise training [24,25] and to avoid ischemia during training [26].…”