This study evaluated the physiological status and assessed the validity of the 20-m shuttle run test (20 MST) in predicting o2 max values of these same athletes. Thirteen highly trained male soccer players (age 12.62 ± 0.65 years) were tested for o2 max, heart rate max, and maximum lactate via direct laboratory measurement (i.e., maximal treadmill test [TM]) and the 20 MST. Based on two 20 MST prediction equations, the cross-validation statistics were r = 0.78, SE 3.82 for equation 1 and r = 0.86, SE = 1.39 for equation 2. No significant differences were found between the observed and predicted o2 max values (p > 0.05). Specifically, the directly measured o2 max = 56.53 ± 5.80, with predicted values of 58.68 ± 3.22 and 55.14 ± 3.89 for equations 1 and 2, respectively. There was a small but significant (p 0.05) difference in HR max between the test protocols, with no significant difference for lactate values (TM lactate = 6.07 ± 1.40 and 20 MST lactate = 6.26 ± 1.92 mm/L). In conclusion, the 20 MST appears to be a valid method for predicting the cardiovascular fitness of youth soccer athletes.
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