Author(s): PANAYIOTOU, G., PAPADIMITRIS, D., VOGAZIANOS, P., BELLALI, T., Institution: EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS, Country: CYPRUS, Abstract-ID: 2284

INTRODUCTION:
The Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) is a widely used laboratory benchmark for anaerobic power and capacity, yet the selected load (% body mass) affects outputs and interpretation (Bar-Or, 1987; Burgess et al., 2016). The Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) is a practical field alternative, although its convergent validity with Wingate varies by index (peak, mean, fatigue) and protocol (Zagatto et al., 2009; Andrade et al., 2015). This study examined whether Wingate loads of 7.5%, 8.7%, and 9.5% body mass enhance convergent validity with RAST over 35–45 m, identifying the pairing with the most consistent agreement across anaerobic markers.
METHODS:
Eighteen active young men (22.7 ± 2.4 y; 77.1 ± 12.0 kg; 1.80 ± 0.03 m; IPAQ-SF: 3659.7 ± 2032.6 MET·min·wk⁻¹) completed a counterbalanced repeated-measures design (1 familiarization; 6 sessions ~1 week apart). Three 30-s Wingate trials (Monark E895) were performed at 7.5%, 8.7%, and 9.5% body mass after a standardized warm-up. Outcomes were peak, mean, and minimum power; fatigue indices; work/anaerobic capacity (absolute and relative); and capillary lactate at 3- and 5-min post-test. Participants also completed three RAST variants (35, 40, 45 m; 6 maximal sprints, 10-s recovery) timed with photocells, yielding analogous power, fatigue, and work indices; lactate sampling was identical. Convergent validity was assessed using one-tailed Pearson correlations (95% CIs; p < .05), with inter-RAST correlations used to evaluate internal consistency.
RESULTS:
Across RAST 35–45 m, power indices showed very high internal consistency (Mean Power r= .845–.926; Work r= .850–.921; p< .001). Convergent validity versus Wingate was index-dependent and generally stronger for relative (W·kg⁻¹) than absolute outputs. At 9.5% body mass, relative peak (r= .519–.632, p= .002–.014), mean (r= .561–.651, p= .002–.008), and minimum power (r= .449–.461, p= .027–.031) correlated with all RAST distances, whereas absolute mean power was non-significant (r= .072–.289, p= .122–.388). Fatigue indices and lactate showed limited convergence: relative rate-of-decline at 9.5% related to RAST 40–45 m (r= .430, p= .037–.038) but not 35 m; percent power drop was generally non-significant; Wingate–RAST lactate correlations at 3 and 5 min were low/non-significant (e.g., 9.5% at 5 min: r= −.019 to .297, p= .116–.470), with only a modest inter-RAST association at 5 min (40–45 m: r= .458, p= .028).
CONCLUSION:
RAST 35–45 m demonstrated very high internal consistency for power outcomes, supporting its use as a coherent field-test set. Convergent validity with Wingate was index-dependent, with relative (W·kg⁻¹) power aligning more robustly than absolute outputs. A 9.5% body-mass Wingate load showed the clearest convergence for relative peak, mean, and minimum power across all RAST distances. Fatigue indices and post-exercise lactate (3′, 5′) showed limited, inconsistent convergence and should be interpreted cautiously as supportive rather than equivalent field markers.