The Evaluation Of On-ice Incremental Test (OIST): A New Aerobic Capacity Test For Speed Skaters

Speed skating, particularly in long-distance events, requires significant aerobic capacity. Traditional aerobic tests, such as cycling on ergometers, fail to capture the unique biomechanics and low-temperature conditions of on-ice performance. Thus, an on-ice incremental skating test (OIST) was developed to better assess aerobic capacity under realistic conditions. PURPOSE: To evaluate the reliability, validity, and feasibility of the OIST compared to laboratory-based aerobic tests. METHODS: A total of 70 speed skaters aged 14-25 participated in the study, with 62 completing both the laboratory-based cycling test and the OIST on consecutive days. Athletes performed a cycling test on a Monark ergometer and an OIST over two consecutive days. Ventilation, heart rate, and oxygen uptake (VO2) were recorded using portable gas analyzers. Additionally, 16 athletes underwent a retest of the OIST without analyzers to examine reliability. Statistical analyses, including paired t-tests, correlation coefficients, and equivalence testing, were applied to compare results between tests. RESULTS: OIST demonstrated high reliability with no significant differences in skating performance between tests with and without gas analyzers (p > 0.05). VO2max values from the OIST were significantly lower than those from the laboratory test (3.04 ± 0.48 L/min vs. 3.56 ± 0.68 L/min, p < 0.001), but there was a strong correlation (r = 0.779, p < 0.001). Additionally, the OIST showed high discriminant validity, with significant differences between first-level and national-level athletes (p = 0.011). Correlations between aerobic indicators and athletic performance were higher in OIST compared to the laboratory test, particularly for long-distance events like the 5000 m (r = 0.849 for VO2 max velocity). The equivalence testing proved that the RER method could be an alternative method to estimate VT in OIST when the equivalent margin is 7% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The OIST is a valid, reliable, and feasible tool for assessing aerobic capacity in speed skaters. It addresses the limitations of laboratory-based tests by providing a more sport-specific and ecologically valid assessment, making it valuable for both training and performance evaluations. Supported by: National Key R&D Program of China, grant number 2018YFF0300401.