Influence of Pacing Strategy on Oxygen Uptake During Treadmill Middle-Distance Running

The oxygen uptake (V·O2) attained during a constant speed 800-m pace trial on a treadmill is less than the maximal V·O2 (V·O2max) in male middle-distance runners with a high V·O2max (i.e., > 65 ml · kg-1 · min-1). We therefore investigated whether the V·O2 attained was influenced by the pacing strategy adopted. Eight male middle-distance runners (age 25.8 ± 3.3 years; height 1.78 ± 0.10 m; mass 67.8 ± 4.7 kg) with a personal best 800-m time of 112.0 ± 3.3 s volunteered to participate. Subjects undertook a speed ramped progressive test to determine V·O2max and three 800-m pace runs to exhaustion all in a randomised order. The three 800-m pace runs included constant speed, acceleration, and race simulation runs. Oxygen uptake was determined throughout each test using 15-s Douglas bag collections. Following the application of a 30-s rolling average, the highest V·O2 during the progressive test (i.e., V·O2max) and the highest V·O2 during the 800-m pace runs (i.e., V·O2peak) were compared. For the eight runners, V·O2max was 67.2 ± 4.3 ml · kg-1 · min-1. V·O2peak was 60.1 ± 5.1 ml · kg-1 · min-1, 61.1 ± 5.2 ml · kg-1 · min-1, and 62.2 ± 4.9 ml · kg-1 · min-1, yielding values of 89.3 ± 2.4 %, 90.8 ± 2.8 %, and 92.5 ± 3.1 % V·O2max for the constant speed, acceleration and race simulation runs, respectively. Across runs, repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant effect (p = 0.048). Trend analysis identified a significant linear trend (p = 0.025) with the % V·O2max attained being higher for the acceleration run than the constant speed run, and higher still for the race simulation run. These results demonstrate that in middle-distance runners a) pacing strategy influences the V·O2 attained, with a race simulation run elevating the V·O2 attained compared with other pacing strategies, and b) regardless of pacing strategy the V·O2 attained in an 800-m pace run on a treadmill is less than V·O2max

Oxygen Recovery Kinetics in the Forearm Flexors of Multiple Ability Groups of Rock Climbers

Fryer, SM, Stoner, L, Dickson, TG, Draper, SB, McCluskey, MJ, Hughes, JD, How, SC, and Draper, N. Oxygen recovery kinetics in the forearm flexors of multiple ability groups of rock climbers. J Strength Cond Res 29(6): 1633-1639, 2015-The purpose of this study was to determine muscle tissue oxidative capacity and recovery in intermediate, advanced, and elite rock climbers. Forty-four male participants performed (a) sustained and (b) intermittent contractions at 40% of maximal volitional contraction (MVC) on a sport-specific fingerboard until volitional fatigue. Near-infrared spectroscopy was used to assess muscle tissue oxygenation during both the exercise and the 5-minutes passive recovery period, in the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and flexor carpi radialis (FCR). During the sustained contraction only, muscle tissue deoxygenation (O2 debt) in the FDP and FCR was significantly greater in elite climbers compared with the control, intermediate, and advanced groups (FDP: 32 vs. 15, 19, 22%; FCR: 19 vs. 11, 8, 15%, respectively). However, elite climbers had a significantly quicker time to half recovery (T1/2) than the control and intermediate groups in the FDP (8 vs. 95 and 47 seconds, respectively) and the FCR (7 vs. 30 and 97 seconds, respectively) because the O2% recovered per second being significantly greater (FDP: 4.2 vs. 0.7 and 0.3; FCR: 4.8 vs. 0.1 and 0.2, respectively). Furthermore, during the intermittent contraction, T1/2 in elite climbers was significantly quicker compared with the control and intermediate groups in the FDP (8 vs. 93 and 83 seconds, respectively) and FCR (16 vs. 76 and 50 seconds, respectively). Consequently, lower-level climbers should focus training on specific intermittent fatigue protocols. Competition or elite climbers should make use of appropriate rests on route to aid recovery and increase the chances of reaching the next hold

Influence of Pacing Strategy on Oxygen Uptake During Treadmill Middle-Distance Running

The oxygen uptake (V·O2) attained during a constant speed 800-m pace trial on a treadmill is less than the maximal V·O2 (V·O2max) in male middle-distance runners with a high V·O2max (i.e., > 65 ml · kg-1 · min-1). We therefore investigated whether the V·O2 attained was influenced by the pacing strategy adopted. Eight male middle-distance runners (age 25.8 ± 3.3 years; height 1.78 ± 0.10 m; mass 67.8 ± 4.7 kg) with a personal best 800-m time of 112.0 ± 3.3 s volunteered to participate. Subjects undertook a speed ramped progressive test to determine V·O2max and three 800-m pace runs to exhaustion all in a randomised order. The three 800-m pace runs included constant speed, acceleration, and race simulation runs. Oxygen uptake was determined throughout each test using 15-s Douglas bag collections. Following the application of a 30-s rolling average, the highest V·O2 during the progressive test (i.e., V·O2max) and the highest V·O2 during the 800-m pace runs (i.e., V·O2peak) were compared. For the eight runners, V·O2max was 67.2 ± 4.3 ml · kg-1 · min-1. V·O2peak was 60.1 ± 5.1 ml · kg-1 · min-1, 61.1 ± 5.2 ml · kg-1 · min-1, and 62.2 ± 4.9 ml · kg-1 · min-1, yielding values of 89.3 ± 2.4 %, 90.8 ± 2.8 %, and 92.5 ± 3.1 % V·O2max for the constant speed, acceleration and race simulation runs, respectively. Across runs, repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant effect (p = 0.048). Trend analysis identified a significant linear trend (p = 0.025) with the % V·O2max attained being higher for the acceleration run than the constant speed run, and higher still for the race simulation run. These results demonstrate that in middle-distance runners a) pacing strategy influences the V·O2 attained, with a race simulation run elevating the V·O2 attained compared with other pacing strategies, and b) regardless of pacing strategy the V·O2 attained in an 800-m pace run on a treadmill is less than V·O2max

VO2 Attained During Treadmill Running: The Influence of a Specialist (400-m or 800-m) Event

Purpose: Previously it has been observed that, in well-trained 800-m athletes, VO(2)max is not attained during middle-distance running events on a treadmill, even when a race-type pacing strategy is adopted. Therefore, the authors investigated whether specialization in a particular running distance (400-m or 800-m) influences the VO(2) attained during running on a treadmill. Methods: Six 400-m and six 800-m running specialists participated in the study. A 400-m trial and a progressive test to determine VO(2)max were completed in a counterbalanced order. Oxygen uptakes attained during the 400-m trial were compared to examine the influence of specialist event. Results: A VO(2) plateau was observed in all participants for the progressive test, demonstrating the attainment of VO(2)max. The VO(2)max values were 56.2 +/- 4.7 and 69.3 +/- 4.5 mL . kg(-1) min(-1) for the 400-m- and 800-m-event specialists, respectively (P = .0003). Durations for the 400-m trial were 55.1 +/- 4.2 s and 55.8 +/- 2.3 s for the 400-m- and 800-m-event specialists, respectively. The VO(2) responses achieved were 93.1% +/- 2.0% and 85.7% +/- 3.0% VO(2)max for the 400-m- and 800-m-event specialists, respectively (P = .001). Conclusions: These results demonstrate that specialist running events do appear to influence the percentage of VO(2)max achieved in the 400-m trial, with the 800-m specialists attaining a lower percentage of VO(2)max than the 400-m specialists. The 400-m specialists appear to compensate for a lower VO(2)max by attaining a higher percentage VO(2)max during a 400-m trial

Influence of test duration on oxygen uptake attained during treadmill running

Previous investigations have revealed that in well-trained middle-distance runners, oxygen uptake (VO2) does not attain maximal values (VO2max) in exhaustive treadmill trials where the VO2 demand exceeds VO2max. To date, this shortfall in the VO2 attained has been demonstrated in trials as short as 2 min in duration. In this study, we investigated whether a reduction in exhaustive test duration influences the VO2 attained during running on a treadmill. Six middle-distance runners participated in the study, completing an exhaustive 400 m and 800 m trial. These trials, together with a progressive test to determine VO2max, were completed in a counterbalanced order. Oxygen uptakes attained during the 400 m and 800 m trials were compared to examine the influence of exhaustive test duration. A plateau in VO2 was observed in all participants for the progressive test, demonstrating the attainment of VO2max. The mean speed, duration, and resulting distance in the constant-speed exhaustive trials were 25.8 km h(-1) (s=1.2), 55.8 s (s=2.3), and 400.2 m (s=20.2) for the 400 m trial, and 24.3 km h(-1) (s=0.8), 108.4 s (s=21.2), and 730.1 m (s=129.1) for the 800 m trial, respectively. A paired-samples t-test revealed a significantly different (P=0.018)%VO2max was attained for the 400 m (85.7%, s=3.0) and 800 m (89.1%, s=5.0) trials. In conclusion, VO2 did not reach VO2max during the exhaustive constant-speed 400 m and 800 m trials, but the test duration does influence the%VO2max achieved. Specifically, the VO2 attained becomes progressively further below VO2max as trial duration is reduced, such that 89% and 86% VO2max is achieved in exhaustive 800 m and 400 m constant-speed trials, respectively

Application of Intervention Mapping to develop a community-based health promotion pre-pregnancy intervention for adolescent girls in rural South Africa: Project Ntshembo (Hope).

BACKGROUND: South Africa (SA) is undergoing multiple transitions with an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases and high levels of overweight and obesity in adolescent girls and women. Adolescence is key to addressing trans-generational risk and a window of opportunity to intervene and positively impact on individuals' health trajectories into adulthood. Using Intervention Mapping (IM), this paper describes the development of the Ntshembo intervention, which is intended to improve the health and well-being of adolescent girls in order to limit the inter-generational transfer of risk of metabolic disease, in particular diabetes risk. METHODS: This paper describes the application of the first four steps of IM. Evidence is provided to support the selection of four key behavioural objectives: viz. to eat a healthy, balanced diet, increase physical activity, reduce sedentary behaviour, and promote reproductive health. Appropriate behaviour change techniques are suggested and a theoretical framework outlining components of relevant behaviour change theories is presented. It is proposed that the Ntshembo intervention will be community-based, including specialist adolescent community health workers who will deliver a complex intervention comprising of individual, peer, family and community mobilisation components. CONCLUSIONS: The Ntshembo intervention is novel, both in SA and globally, as it is: (1) based on strong evidence, extensive formative work and best practice from evaluated interventions; (2) combines theory with evidence to inform intervention components; (3) includes multiple domains of influence (community through to the individual); (4) focuses on an at-risk target group; and (5) embeds within existing and planned health service priorities in SA

Motor Learning Induces Plasticity in the Resting Brain—Drumming Up a Connection

Neuroimaging methods have recently been used to investigate plasticity-induced changes in brain structure. However, little is known about the dynamic interactions between different brain regions after extensive coordinated motor learning such as drumming. In this article, we have compared the resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) in 15 novice healthy participants before and after a course of drumming (30-min drumming sessions, 3 days a week for 8 weeks) and 16 age-matched novice comparison participants. To identify brain regions showing significant FC differences before and after drumming, without a priori regions of interest, a multivariate pattern analysis was performed. Drum training was associated with an increased FC between the posterior part of bilateral superior temporal gyri (pSTG) and the rest of the brain (i.e., all other voxels). These regions were then used to perform seed-to-voxel analysis. The pSTG presented an increased FC with the premotor and motor regions, the right parietal lobe and a decreased FC with the cerebellum. Perspectives and the potential for rehabilitation treatments with exercise-based intervention to overcome impairments due to brain diseases are also discussed

Motor Learning Induces Plasticity in the Resting Brain—Drumming Up a Connection

Neuroimaging methods have recently been used to investigate plasticity-induced changes in brain structure. However, little is known about the dynamic interactions between different brain regions after extensive coordinated motor learning such as drumming. In this article, we have compared the resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) in 15 novice healthy participants before and after a course of drumming (30-min drumming sessions, 3 days a week for 8 weeks) and 16 age-matched novice comparison participants. To identify brain regions showing significant FC differences before and after drumming, without a priori regions of interest, a multivariate pattern analysis was performed. Drum training was associated with an increased FC between the posterior part of bilateral superior temporal gyri (pSTG) and the rest of the brain (i.e., all other voxels). These regions were then used to perform seed-to-voxel analysis. The pSTG presented an increased FC with the premotor and motor regions, the right parietal lobe and a decreased FC with the cerebellum. Perspectives and the potential for rehabilitation treatments with exercise-based intervention to overcome impairments due to brain diseases are also discussed

The Effect of Learning to Drum on Behaviour and Brain Function in Autistic Adolescents

There is an acknowledged need for improved service provision in the context of autism spectrum disorders. Previous studies have demonstrated the positive role drum training can play in improving behavioral outcomes for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral difficulties. However, to date, none of these studies has explored how these behavioral changes translate at the neural level. Our study provides strong evidence that drumming not only reduces hyperactivity and inattention in autistic adolescents but also strengthens functional connectivity in brain regions responsible for inhibitory control and action outcome monitoring