We’re Talkin’ About the Talk Test Here
In Canada, ParticipACTION advises that those aged 5 to 17 years old need 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardiovascular activity a day, every day. For anyone aged 18 and over, the goal is to get 150 minutes through the course of a week. It is also recommended that for all ages, at least one bout of cardio should be vigorous each week. When we mention moderate to vigorous activity, the general public may not know what the cut-offs might be. Fortunately, there are certain physiological cues we can use to make a judgement on how intense our cardio session is. One of them is our ability to perform vocalizations. The talk test is a self-administered test where the participant attempts to talk or sing during cardio training. I like it because clients learn the concept quickly, it costs nothing, and can be used to track progress at set power outputs. There is a lot of literature out there, spanning several populations and test scenarios. Many of the conclusions are in favour of the talk test.
Vocalizations are pretty demanding on our breathing. We need appropriate airflow though our vocal folds. We disrupt our normal breathing pattern when we talk or sing. During the talk test, we are effectively disrupting our capacity to breath purposefully and rhythmically, at a time where our body is in need for larger quantities of oxygen. Depending on the degree of vocalization you are capable of, you can get a sense of how much you are pushing yourself, whether it be too light, too hard, or on target.
In the context of cardiovascular training, moderate intensity is realized when the participant can speak their sentences relatively comfortably, but cannot sing or hold a tune effectively. Vigorous activity is realized when the participant starts to talk in half-sentences. You can also tell if someone is going too hard. If you can barely grunt, your body is overloaded with demand for oxygen. At this point, you might be redlining your intensity a little, and should ease off the intensity as necessary.
For those that do not communicate vocally, there are a wide range of other cost-effective self-assessment tests that can be used. Another limitation is that this an informal test; it should not be used as a specific measurement. E.g. knowing your specific oxygen consumption at a set workload. If you can, give the talk test a try. It’s a fun way to learn about your body and it’s responses. Maybe you might surprise yourself with the workload that you are doing and make improvements instantly.
