Table 3.
Test protocols with special equipment.
| Author, Year | Mode of Exercise | Pretest Screening | Familiarization | Equipment | Water Temperature [°C] | Water Depth [m] | Water Immersion Level | Warm Up | Starting Intensity | Time on Starting Intensity | Increasing Intensity | Time on Each Next Stage | Test Termination Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brubaker et al., 2011 [60] | UTM | NR | NR | underwater treadmill (Hydro-worx 1000), resistance jets | 28 | NR | xiphoid process | NR | 2.3 km/h | 2 min | 2.3 km/h 4.9 km/h 7.3 km/h 9.6 km/h 9.6 km/h, 30% resistance jets 9.6 km/h, 40% resistance jets 9.6 km/h, 50% resistance jets |
2 min | NR |
| Choi et al., 2015 [61] | UTM | NR | NR | underwater treadmill (Focus, Hydro-physio) | 28 | NR | midpoint umbilicus and xiphoid process | 5 min | 2.0 km/h | 1 min | 0.5 km/h | 1 min | participant request and/or ACSM guidelines |
| Colado et al., 2019 [62] | water cycling | NR | yes | underwater bicycle (Hydro-rider), metronome | 30 | NR | xiphoid process | NR | 100 bpm | 3 min | 15 bpm | 2 min | exhaustion, not maintaining pedal rate |
| Costa et al., 2017 [63] | water cycling Frontal surface area (FSA) FSA1: 500cm2 FSA2: 580cm2 FSA3: 660cm2 |
NR | NR | underwater bicycle (Hydro-cycle) | 28 | NR | xiphoid process | 5 min/50 rpm | 50 rpm | 1 min | 3 rpm | 1 min | exhaustion |
| Greene et al., 2011 [32] | UTM | stratified according to ACSM standards for risk of cardiovascular disease, physiological examination | yes | underwater treadmill (Hydro-worx 1000 and 2000) | 32–34 | NR | fourth intercostal space | NR | 53.6 m·min-1 | 3 min | 26.8 m·min−1 | 3 min | voluntary exhaustion, the exercise protocol completed |
| Pinto et al., 2016 [64] | water cycling | NR | yes | underwater bicycle (Hydro-rider), compact disc | 30 | NR | NR | NR | 100 bpm | 3 min | 15 bpm | 2 min | exhaustion |
| Schaal et al., 2012 [38] | UTM (with and without underwater running shoes) | NR | 2 × 5 min | underwater treadmill (Hydro-worx 1000), water running shoes | 20.6–35.6 | NR | xiphoid process | 1–5 min | 0.5 mph and 40% water jets | 1 min | 0.5 mph every min for 4−5 min, then 0.5 mph every min and 10% water jets every min | 1 min | volitional or treadmill’s speed 7.5 mph reached and maintained for minute |
| Silvers et al., 2007 [65]; Silvers et al., 2008 [66] | UTM | NR | NR | underwater treadmill (Hydro-worx 2000), resistance jets | 28 | NR | xiphoid process | 6 min | 13.4 m/min and 40% water jets | 1 min | 13.4 m/min every min for 4−5 min, then 13.4 m/min every min and 10% water jets every min | 1 min | volitional exhaustion |
| Yazigi et al., 2013 [67] | water cycling (at two water temperature) | NR | yes | underwater bicycle (Hydro-rider) | 27 and 31 | adapted | xiphoid process | NR | 50 rpm | 3 min | 10 rpm till 70 rpm; 5 rpm after 70 rpm | 3 min | unable to maintain the cadence |
ACSM—American College of Sports Medicine, bpm-beats per minute, FSA- Frontal Surface Area, mph—miles per hour, NR-not reported, rpm-repetitions per minute, UTM-underwater treadmill running.