Effects of verification stage intensity and duration on $$\dot{V}O_{{2\max }}$$ determination

Abstract Purpose Verification stages are recommended for maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O ₂max ) determination, but there is currently no standardization of verification stage design. We sought to determine if the length of recovery and the initial intensity of subsequent exercise influence the effectiveness of verification stages during testing for V̇O ₂max . Methods Twenty-seven participants (20 males, 7 females) completed four graded exercise tests (GXT). Each session included an identical incremental V̇O ₂max (iV̇O ₂max ) protocol, followed by one of four verification stages with combinations of short (5 min) and long (15 min) rest periods, and submaximal (one stage below maximal workload) and supramaximal (one stage above maximal workload) starting intensities. Results Although iV̇O ₂max and verification V̇O ₂max (vV̇O ₂max ) were similar across all protocols, 11–19% of participants achieved higher values during verification. About 24% of individuals who did not exhibit a V̇O ₂ plateau during the GXT exhibited a vV̇O ₂max > iV̇O ₂max in the submaximal verification protocols compared to 6–14% for the supramaximal protocols. Conclusions: Verification stages using initial submaximal intensities may increase the likelihood of achieving V̇O ₂max .