The objective of the present study was to determine the validity of
Carminatti’s shuttle run incremental test–T-Car derived
parameters in estimating the maximal lactate steady state determined in
shuttle run format. Eighteen soccer players performed a T-Car test, and
several trials to determine the maximal lactate steady state. From T-Car
were derived the heart rate deflection point, peak speed, maximal heart rate
and parameters resulting from percentage of peak measures. The validity was
accessed by Bland-Altman plots, linear regressions, and two one-sided tests
of equivalence analysis. The results showed the speed at 80.4% of
T-Car peak speed, the heart rate deflection point and the 91.4% of
maximal heart rate were equivalent to maximal lactate steady state (Mean
difference; ±90% compatibility interval; −0.8;
±1.5%, −0.4; ±1.1%, and 0.0;
±2.7%, respectively). Additionally, peak speed during the
T-Car test was a stronger predictor of maximal lactate steady state (MLSS
[km/h]=2.57+0.65 × sPeak; r=0.82
[90% CI; 0.62–0.92], standard error of the
estimate=3.6%; 90% CI
×/÷1.4). Therefore, soccer players can use the T-Car
derived parameters as a noninvasive and practical alternative to estimate
the specific maximal lactate steady state for soccer.