Accuracy in measurement of elevation gain in road cycling

Purpose Accurate measures of elevation gain are important for monitoring energy expenditure and physical load. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of barometric devices used for measuring elevation gain. Methods Observational validation study. Twenty-eight barometric altimeter devices (SRM and Garmin) were used to measure total elevation gain during cycling over three different climbs (length range: 3.2-18.4 km), giving a total of 216 climbs. An online mapping tool (http://www.freemaptools.com/elevation-finder.htm) was used to calculate the criterion measure of total elevation gain. Data were categorised into two weather conditions: dry and wet. Results The standard errors of the estimate for total elevation gain measured by SRM and Garmin devices were 1.5% and 1.9%, respectively. In dry conditions, SRM devices underestimated the total elevation gain by an on average by of ~ 5% while the Garmin devices underestimated it by ~ 2%. In wet weather conditions the bias worsened to - 25%. Conclusions Measurements of total elevation gain recorded with devices of differed brands were similarly accurate in dry weather conditions. Wet weather conditions significantly decreased the accuracy of total elevation gain measurements

KINEMATICS OF THE BMX SX GATE START ACTION

The purpose of this study was to identify the sagittal range of motion across five joints and two body segments during the first three cranks of the BMX SX gate start, and to identify difference between females and males across these seven variables. This was achieved with markerless motion capture of 10 athletes, analysing three maximum effort gate starts using a motion capture and data analysis method previously validated in literature. It was found that the average range of motion for the trunk segment was 39 ± 6°, head segment was 38 ± 35°, shoulder joint was 87 ± 7°, elbow joint was 47 ± 15°, hip joint was 62 ± 11°, knee joint was 93 ± 12° and ankle joint was 58 ± 14°. Further analysis showed a statistically significant difference between males and females. This information can be further used to advise strength and conditioning prescription and to assess movement maturatio

Dreams and nightmares of liberal international law: capitalist accumulation, natural rights and state hegemony

This article develops a line of theorising the relationship between peace, war and commerce and does so via conceptualising global juridical relations as a site of contestation over questions of economic and social justice. By sketching aspects of a historical interaction between capitalist accumulation, natural rights and state hegemony, the article offers a critical account of the limits of liberal international law, and attempts to recover some ground for thinking about the emancipatory potential of international law more generally