engleski

Can an incremental kettlebell swinging test be used to assess aerobic capacity?

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a novel incremental kettlebell test (IKT) by comparing the cardiorespiratory and metabolic response to those of a standard incremental running treadmill test (ITT). Eleven subjects (9 men and 2 women) volunteered to perform both tests. The kettlebell test was performed with the swing technique increasing the load every 30 seconds to exhaustion, without rest between stages. It starts with a 4 kg kettlebell load and with each successive stage the kettlebell weight is increased for 2 kg. A week later the subjects performed an ITT test, with speed increments of 0.5 km/h every 30 seconds (at a constant 1% incline) up to volitional exhaustion. Blood lactate concentration (BL), heart rate (HR) and gas exchange variables were monitored in both tests. There was a strong correlation between tests for peak oxygen uptake (r=0.92), and low to moderate for the other variables. However, the mean peak values differed significantly for VO2, HR, BL and ventilation, with lower values recorded in IKT than in ITT. The values of the remaining parameters were also lower in IKT, but the differences were not significant (p >0.05). The mean values of all IKT variables were in the range of 82% - 103% of ITT values (88% on average). In most subjects, muscle fatigue rather than cardio-respiratory factors caused exhaustion in the IKT test. In conclusion, the kettlebell test may be considered for athletes who train with external loads, as well as in subjects that are poor runners. However, several methodological issues need to be addressed in future research to obtain a valid and reliable kettlebell swinging test protocol.

kettlebell test ; treadmill test ; heart rate ; oxygen uptake ; blood lactate

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