Thron et al. 2024, Assessing anaerobic speed reserve: validity & reliability of MAS and MSS methods

PLoS One 19(1):e0296866. Systematic review of 58 studies examining the validity and reliability of methods to determine maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and maximal sprinting speed (MSS) — the two components of the anaerobic speed reserve — in running-based sports. CPET protocols for MAS yield inconsistent values across studies (effect sizes 0.83–2.8; correlations 0.46–0.85); incremental field tests and shuttle runs cannot be confirmed as valid MAS surrogates; GPS and local positioning systems show unacceptable validity and reliability for MSS measurement. Only radar or laser devices, timing gates, or video analysis provide valid and reliable MSS values for linear sprints of 20–70 m. Moderate.