The aim of the present study was to evaluate aerobic fitness during walk tests with workload increased by treadmill inclination, based on non-linear relationship between treadmill inclination and time until exhaustion in steady velocity. Twelve male subjects, 23.2 ± 2.7 years old, 74.0 ± 7.9 kg of body mass and 23.7 ± 2.5 kg·(m²)-1 of BMI, performed two phases of treadmill walk tests with steady velocity during all tests of 5.5 km·h-1 and intensity workload applied on the treadmill inclination (%). Phase 1 consisted of tree workout tests until voluntary exhaustion at 18%, 20% and 22% of inclination intensity, for critical power parameters determination, by using two linear models and a hyperbolic model. Phase 2 consisted of determination of the maximal blood lactate steady state (MLSS) intensity. ANOVA showed that the hyperbolic model (15.4 ± 1.1 %) underestimated both linear models: linear inclination-time-1 (16.0 ± 1.0 %) and hyperbolic linear time-1-inclination (15.9 ± 1.0 %); however, there was high correlation. Both linear models overestimated the MLSS intensity (14.1 ± 1.4%), and although there was no difference between the MLSS and the hyperbolic model, they had low correlation and there was a lower agreement. In conclusion, the inclination-time to exhaustion ratio in walk tests does not show an exercise intensity that can be bearable for a long period of time.
walk tests; maximum lactate steady state; critical inclination
