Acute Physiological and Thermoregulatory Responses to Extended Interval Training in Endurance Runners: Influence of Athletic Performance and Age

Physiologic strain of SCBA confidence course training compared to circuit training and live-fire training

Firefighting is a dangerous occupation and even training carries substantial risks. Self-contained breathing apparatus confidence courses (SCBACC) are a common type of training.

PURPOSE

Compare the physiological strain of SCBACC to live-fire training (LFT) and circuit training (CT) among academy cadets.

METHODS

Cadets wore physiologic status monitors to assess heart rate (HR) and estimated core temperature (ECT) during CT, LFT, and SCBACC of similar duration (33-38 min).

RESULTS

Data from 52 cadet firefighters (28 ± 4 yrs old) were analyzed. ECT (38.6 ± 0.4 vs 39.3 ± 0.7 vs. 39.3 ± 0.6ᵒC), peak HR (182.6 ± 9.1 vs. 192.7 ± 9.5 vs 195.9 ± 9.6 bpm), and age-predicted maximal HR (APMHR%; 94.6 ± 4.6 vs 99.9 ± 4.9 vs. 101.5 ± 4.8%) were significantly (p < 0.05) lower for CT than SCBACC and LFT, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

SCBACC produced physiological strain greater than CT and similar to LFT. SCBACC resulted in sustained HR at 100% of age-predicted maximal values, a peak ECT of 39.3 °C, and should be considered as physiologically stressful as LFT.

Lack of Influence of Muscular Performance Parameters on Spatiotemporal Adaptations With Increased Running Velocity

Roche-Seruendo, LE, García-Pinillos, F, Haicaguerre, J, Bataller-Cervero, AV, Soto-Hermoso, VM, and Latorre-Román, PÁ. Lack of influence of muscular performance parameters on spatiotemporal adaptations with increased running velocity. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 409-415, 2018-This study aimed to analyze the influence of muscular performance parameters on spatiotemporal gait characteristics during running when gradually increasing speed. Fifty-one recreationally trained male endurance runners (age, 28 ± 8 years) voluntarily participated in this study. Subjects performed a battery of jumping tests (squat jump, countermovement jump, and 20-cm drop jump), and after that, the subjects performed an incremental running test (10-20 km·h) on a motorized treadmill. Spatiotemporal parameters were measured using the OptoGait system. Cluster k-means analysis grouped subjects according to the jumping test performance, by obtaining a group of good jumpers (n = 19) and a group of bad jumpers (n = 32). With increased running velocity, contact time was shorter and flight time and step length were longer, whereas cadence and stride angle were greater (p < 0.001). No significant differences between groups (p ≥ 0.05) were found at any running speed. The results obtained indicate that increased running velocity produced no differences in spatiotemporal adaptations between those runners with good jumping ability and those with poor jumping ability. Based on that, it seems that muscular performance parameters do not play a key role in spatiotemporal adaptations experienced by recreational endurance runners with increased velocity. However, taken into consideration the well-known relationship between running performance and neuromuscular performance, the authors suggest that muscular performance parameters would be much more determinant in the presence of fatigue (exhausted condition) or in the case of considering other variables such as running economy or kinetic.

Salivary total protein as a biomarker of anaerobic threshold in elderly athletes subjected to an incremental physical test

This study aimed to verify whether salivary total protein (STP) would reflect anaerobic threshold in elderly athletes subjected to an incremental exercise test.

METHODS

Seven elderly elite athletes (EEA) and six physically active elderly men (PAE) completed a treadmill protocol in which blood and saliva samples were collected.

RESULTS

Blood lactate (BL) and STP increased significantly in EEA during the test (0.8 ± 0.2 to 5.1 ± 2.0 mmol/L and 42.5 ± 7.5 to 222.5 ± 63.8 mg/dL, respectively) and remained elevated at five minutes after exercise (5.0 ± 1.9 mmol/L and 147.2 ± 50.0 mg/dL, respectively). Furthermore, correlations between STP and heart rate (r = 0.87, p < 0.001), and between BL and STP (r = 0.96, p < 0.001), were observed in the elderly athletes.

CONCLUSIONS

STP represents a potential non-invasive biomarker for determining anaerobic threshold during an incremental exercise test, and this parameter may be used as an indicator of physical exercise intensity in elderly athletes.