Controlled studies have always measured exercise intensity based on information gathered from maximal exercise testing, often using oxygen uptake, blood lactic levels, and or peak power output. However there are extreme limitations of these methods, particularly when we consider the environment personal trainers often work in.
Access to this equipment can prove problematic – one simple solution would be to prescribe HR zones, and indeed this is an extremely effective solution, as HR training zones correlate very well with Vo2 max scores. However, once again, HR monitoring equipment can be problematic, particularly when interval training for short durations, as there is often a delayed ramping response of heart rate. One proposed solution that requires little in the way of equipment is the “Talk Test”.
The notion is that the talk test has actually been around since 1939, when Professor Grayson advised mountaineers to climb no faster than they could speak. Despite its early origins, the Talk test has been shown to be a reliable measure of intensity for numerous population groups, including athletic and sedentary individuals, making it a suitable test potentially for personal trainers.
A recent study recently aimed to determine the stages of the Talk Test through an incremental treadmill test.
They examined:
- Last Positive (LP)- “yes i can speak comfortably”
- Equivocal (EQ)- “yes i can speak, but not entirely comfortably”
- Negative (NEG) – “no i cannot speak comfortably”
The study suggested that each stage of the Talk Test fell into well accepted training zones, which infers that energy training sessions could be set based on their ability to speak.
- LP fell into the 60-85% HRR training zone, in line with ACSM
- EQ fell into the 70-85% HRR training zone, in line with ACSM
- NEG however far exceeded the recommended 85% HRR suggesting the Talk Test may not be suitable at maximal intensity.
In conclusion the study demonstrated that the talk test can be a useful tool for prescribing and regulating exercise intensity. If the client is able to speak comfortably, the exercise intensity is within a broad HR range and blood lactate rate, as is found in common steady state running. If they are able to speak, but not entirely comfortably they are likely performing at critical power or commonly known as maximal lactate steady state. If the client is unable to speak, it is likely that the client is considerably above maximal lactate steady state.