Search Results (3)

The study’s objective was to identify the features of internal movement structure that depend on speed and the importance of unloading when jogging on an anti-gravity treadmill. The aim was to investigate whether the internal structure of running changes under unloaded conditions, using an anti-gravity treadmill. Twenty male competitive middle- and long-distance runners with the following characteristics participated in the study: age, 25 ± 5 years; body weight, 67.2 ± 8.9 kg; body height, 177 ± 11 cm; and training experience, 9 ± 5 years. The gastrocnemius (GC), tibialis anterior (T), quadriceps femoris (Q), biceps femoris (B), and gluteus (G) were the five lower limb muscles whose muscle activity was evaluated. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to measure muscle activation while jogging and running on the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill. The study method involved capturing the examined muscular activity at four different speeds: 6, 10, 14, and 18 km/h. At each of these speeds, four two-minute measurements were taken with varying body weight relief: 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% of body weight. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (RM-MANOVA) [F = 3.4663 p = 0.0001] showed that as running speed increases, the muscular activity of each muscle, expressed as a percentage of maximum muscle tension (%MVIC), decreases significantly. Results indicate that running pace affects the dynamics of the reduction in muscle activity in every examined muscle. As one runs faster, the decline in dynamics becomes more intense. At the slowest jogging pace (6 km/h), the variations were almost negligible (±4 percentage points between 25% and 100% body weight relief) as unloading increased. However, the discrepancies reached up to 14 percentage points at the fastest running speed (18 km/h). In every muscle studied, distinctive patterns and significant dynamics at high speeds were observed. The study’s findings suggest that using an anti-gravity treadmill for training can be beneficial, yet it is important to consider the significant relationships between speed and relief, as these variables could impact maintaining a proper movement pattern and running style. This knowledge may be useful when choosing the right training regimens and loads for runners recovering from injuries. Full article

(1) Background: Breathing economy during endurance sports plays a major role in performance. Poor breathing economy is mainly characterized by excessive breathing frequency (BF) and low tidal volume (V_T) due to shallow breathing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a 4 week intervention based on the Wim Hof breathing method (WHBM) would improve breathing economy during exercise in adolescent runners. (2) Methods: 19 adolescent (16.6 ± 1.53 years) middle- and long-distance runners (11 boys and 8 girls) participated in the study. Participants were randomly divided into experimental (n = 11) and control groups (n = 8). The study was set in the transition period between competitive race seasons and both groups had a similar training program in terms of running volume and intensity over the course of the study. The experimental group performed breathing exercises every day (~20 min/day) for 4 weeks. The control group did not perform any kind of breathing exercise. The breathing exercises consisted of three sets of controlled hyperventilation and consecutive maximum breath holds. Before and after the intervention, participants performed incremental cycle ergometer testing sessions consisting of two minute stages at 1, 2, 3, and 4 W·kg⁻¹ with breath-by-breath metabolic analysis. During the testing sessions, BF, V_T, and minute ventilation (V_E) were assessed and compared. (3) Results: There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in BF, V_T, or V_E between experimental and control groups before or after the intervention. A nonsignificant small-to-large effect for an increase in V_E and BF in both groups following the 4 week intervention period was observed, possibly due to a reduction in training volume and intensity owing to the down period between competitive seasons. (4) Conclusions: The 4 week intervention of WHBM did not appear to alter parameters of breathing economy during a maximal graded exercise test in adolescent runners. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of intermittent interval training in hypoxic conditions for six weeks compared with normoxic conditions, on hemodynamic function, autonomic nervous system (ANS) function, immune function, and athletic performance in middle- and long-distance runners. Twenty athletes were divided into normoxic training (normoxic training group (NTG); n = 10; residing and training at sea level) and hypoxic training (hypoxic training group (HTG); n = 10; residing at sea level but training in 526-mmHg hypobaric hypoxia) groups. All dependent variables were measured before, and after, training. The training frequency was 90 min, 3 d per week for six weeks. Body composition showed no significant difference between the two groups. However, the HTG showed more significantly improved athletic performance (e.g., maximal oxygen uptake). The hemodynamic function (e.g., oxygen uptake, oxygen pulse, and cardiac output) during submaximal exercise and ANS function (e.g., standard deviation and root mean square of successive differences, high frequency, and low/high frequency) improved more in the HTG. Immune function parameters were stable within the normal range before and after training in both groups. Therefore, hypoxic training was more effective in enhancing athletic performance, and improving hemodynamic and ANS function; further, it did not adversely affect immune function in competitive runners. Full article