Which test of anaerobic power involves a 30-second maximal bike sprint?

The Wingate test is the anaerobic-power test that uses a 30-second maximal sprint on a stationary bicycle. It measures how much power a person can produce during an all-out effort and how well that output is sustained.

During a standard protocol, the participant warms up, receives a short countdown, and then pedals as fast as possible against a fixed resistance for 30 seconds. Researchers typically calculate peak power, mean power, total work, and the percentage drop from the highest output to the lowest output, often called the fatigue index.

The test was developed at Israel’s Wingate Institute in the 1970s, with the prototype commonly dated to 1974. It is named for that institute, not for a type of bicycle. Although it is often called the Wingate Anaerobic Test, aerobic metabolism still contributes during the effort; “anaerobic” describes the test’s heavy reliance on rapid energy systems, not an absence of oxygen use.

VO2 max testing measures maximal oxygen uptake, the beep test estimates running endurance, and the Cooper test traditionally uses a 12-minute run. Those tests answer different fitness questions.