International Standards for the 12-Minute Cooper Test on a Concept 2 Rowing Ergometer: Validity and Reliability of the Test

The aim of this study was to develop international standards for evaluating strength endurance abilities with the use of the 12-min Cooper Test on a rowing ergometer (12-MCTRE). The results from 1855 men (1421 from Poland and 434 from Hungary) and 2879 women (2502 from Poland and 412 from Hungary) aged 19-25 (mean age of 19.98 ± 1.04 and 20.36 ± 0.94, respectively) were collated between 2004 and 2020. The results were expressed on a uniform T-score scale for the 12-MCTRE. The validity of the 12-MCTRE was verified on a group of 28 male and 32 female participants based on the registered variables (power [W], energy expenditure [Kcal], training intensity distribution, and sexual dimorphism). On average, men covered a distance of 2535.6 m and women covered a distance of 1581.0 m during the 12-MCTRE. The results of the control group indicate that men covered a significantly (p < 0.001) longer distance (2691.5 m) than women (2116.1 m) in the 12-MCTRE, and the values of the remaining variables (power, energy expenditure, pace/500 m, and HR_max) were also significantly better in male participants. During the 12-MCTRE, both women and men remained in the very high effort zone for the longest period of time (516.9 s and 363.1 s, respectively). Women spent significantly more time (p < 0.001) in the high effort zone than men, but significantly less time in the maximal effort zone and the very high effort zone. The 12-MCTRE is an effective tool for evaluating strength endurance abilities in young adults.