The aims of the present study were to adapt the lactate minimum, critical power model and anaerobic threshold tests for assessment of the aerobic-anaerobic transition in specific test for table tennis; to verify the reproducibility of the lactate minimum test and to verify the relationship between these specific procedures with the anaerobic threshold determined in running on treadmill (AnT TR). Eleven male table tennis players participated in the study. The participants performed four tests (three specific tests and a conventional test performed on a treadmill): 1) lactate minimum test (LACmin) (applied twice for reproducibility analyses - LACmim1 and LACmin2); 2) critical frequency test (critf); 3) incremental test for anaerobic threshold determination by 3.5 mM steady lactate concentration (AnT3.5) and bi-segmented linear regression (AnT BI) methods, all in specific protocol; and 4) anaerobic threshold on running (AnT TR). Specific tests were applied by using a mechanical ball thrower to control the intensity of the exercise. The Bland-Altman plot, product-moment correlation and One-way ANOVA tests were used as statistical procedure, with significance level at 5%. The LACmin intensities (59.40 ± 4.06 balls.min-1 and 61.56 ± 8.97 balls.min-1) presented significant correlation (r = 0.61) and moderate concordance verified by Bland-Altman plot. The critf, AnT3.5 and AnT BI intensities corresponded to 56.50 ± 6.84 balls.min-1, 66.74 ± 5.03 balls.min-1 and 62.67 ± 7.25 balls.min-1, respectively, and only AnT3.5 and critf were different. Significant correlations were obtained amongst LACmin1 and critf (r = 0.61), LACmin2 and critf (r = 0.69), and AnT3.5 and AnT BI (r = 0.70). Anaerobic threshold determined in running (9.11 ± 1.94 Km.h-1) was only correlated with the critf (r = 0.73). Thus, in conclusion, the lactate minimum test specific for table tennis is a reproducible procedure, as well as the critf test can be applied for evaluating aerobic-anaerobic transition. Neverhteless, the anaerobic threshold applied in running on a treadmill must be used with care in table tennis.
lactate; mechanical balls thrower; reproducibility; specificity; table tennis
