Validation of the 12-Minute Swim as a Field Test of Peak Aerobic Power in Young Women

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to validate the 12-min swim as a field test of VO₂peak in female recreational swimmers and to compare its validity with that of the 12-min run. The results are contrasted with those previously reported on a comparable group of male recreational swimmers. Thirty-four young women completed 12-min swim, 12-min run, tethered swimming VO₂peak, and treadmill running VO₂peak tests within 3 weeks. Mean (± SD) 12-min swim and run distances were 597 ± 82 and 2, 313 ± 317 m, and mean tethered swim and treadmill run VO₂peak values were 39.2 ± 4.9 and 45.4 ± 6.3 ml·kg BW⁻¹·min⁻¹, respectively. Correlation coefficients and standard errors of estimate for predictions of swimming VO₂peak from the 12-min swim (42 and 4.5 ml·kg BW^−1.min⁻¹) and run (58 and 4.1 ml·kg BW^−1.min⁻¹) and for predictions of treadmill run VO₂peak from the 12-min swim (34 and 6.0 ml·kg BW^−1.min⁻¹) and run (87 and 3.2 ml·kg BW^−1.min⁻¹) indicated that the 12-min run was a more accurate predictor of tethered swim or treadmill run VO₂peak than the 12-min swim. These data are in close agreement with our previous study on young male recreational swimmers. We conclude that the 12-min swim has relatively low validity as a field test of peak aerobic power and that it is not an equally valid alternative to the 12-min run in young adult female recreational swimmers. However, in our sample, the accuracy of predicting VO₂peak from the 12-min swim is comparable to some other commonly used field tests, and, therefore, the 12-min swim may be useful for classifying fitness in situations that do not require a high level of accuracy. Cross-validation is needed to determine the stability of these validity data, especially in samples that include low-fit individuals.

Key Words:

• aerobic capacity
• exertion
• metabolism
• oxygen consumption
• physical endurance
• physical fitness
• running
• swimming