Determining the variability of performance on Wingate anaerobic tests in children aged 6-12 years.

In two parts, this study investigated variability of performance in Wingate anaerobic tests (WAnTs) of normal, healthy, male children aged six, eight, ten and twelve years. The purpose of the first part of the study was to investigate the mean coefficient of variation (C.V. = [S.D./X].100) of children who performed four WAnTs over a period of four weeks. The results revealed age-related differences in the performance data of peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) but no differences between age groups in fatigue index (FI%) = [PP-Pend)/PP.100]. C.V. data from this group of children did not differ significantly between ages in any of the dependent variables. Coggan and Costill (5) measured the variability of male adults during 30 seconds of highly intense cycling and reported C.V.s in PP and MP performances of 6.7 and 6.5%, respectively. C.V.s of children in the first part of the present study were 7.3 and 6.8% for PP and MP, respectively. The C.V. in the FI% of the children (26.7%) however differed substantially from the previously studied adults (10.3%). The second part of the study was conducted to examine the C.V. in FI% performances of children in the WAnT. The purpose of this part of the study was to examine the extent to which a computerized onscreen game, which was linked to pedal cadence affected the variability of children performing WAnTs. A significant decrease was obtained in the C.V. of the FI% in the presence of the computerized feedback game (16.3 and 23.6, with and without the game, respectively). It is suggested that game-based testing procedures may ensure more consistent result in the assessment of pediatric populations.