Purpose:
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) is an important physiological parameter related to sports performance and chronic disease risk. Many field tests have been developed to estimate VO₂max at reduced cost, time, and energy demands compared with laboratory measurement. The purpose of this investigation is to assess the concurrent validity of the 5-minute pyramid test (5MPT).

Methods:
Overall, 14 young (21.1 ± 2.1 years) adult male (n = 7) and female (n = 7) participants completed 5MPT for VO₂max estimation, and a criterion measurement of VO₂max by using indirect calorimetry with the Bruce treadmill protocol.

Results:
A strong positive correlation (r = 0.86, p < 0.0001) was observed between the estimated and measured VO₂max for the entire sample. The group mean VO₂max of 5MPT (3.08 ± 0.84 l ∙ min^–1) was significantly lower (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.65) than the measured value of the Bruce protocol (3.68 ± 0.99 l ∙ min^–1). This difference was also observed when analysing VO2max in ml ∙ kg^–1 ∙ min^–1 (37.87 ± 5.43 ml ∙ kg^–1 ∙ min^–1 vs. 46.76 ± 9.23 ml ∙ kg^–1 ∙ min^–1, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.17), indicating a tendency to underestimate VO₂max.

Conclusions:
5MPT was designed to estimate VO₂max with a submaximal, field-test approach. It may underestimate VO₂max when compared with treadmill derived maximal values in healthy young adults. Additional investigations are warranted to further test the validity and reliability of 5MPT in a variety of populations.