| Keywords |
Walking economy ; Metabolic cost ; Locomotion ; Heart rate ; Oxygen uptake |
| Abstract |
The effect of stride length alteration training on preferred walking cadence and energy efficiency during exercise was examined. Ten men (23.6 ± 1.5 yrs, 177.2 ± 5.3 cm, 72.5 ± 8.7 kg) underwent three walking trials: 1) at preferred stride (SR), 2) at 10% longer length of SR, and 3) at 20% longer length of SR. All subjects walked at five different speeds: 2.5, 4, 5, 6, and 7.5 km/h (pre-testing). Then, they participated in a training program consisting of fast walking with an extended stride length on a graded treadmill at 6.4 km/h as well as leg strength training for 8 weeks. After the training program, the subject's preferred SR was measured and they were retested (post-testing). After the training, the freely chosen SR decreased by 11.8, 9.9, 8.0, and 8.6% from pre-testing levels at 4, 5, 6, and 7.5 km/h, respectively (p < .05). At these SR, heart rate, oxygen uptake, and energy cost per walking distance did not change compared to the pre-testing rates. At the SR used in pre-testing, no changes in heart rate, oxygen uptake, or energy efficiency at all walking speed and stride length conditions were observed. Stride length alteration training lowered the self-selecting preferred stride rate during walking at speeds ≥ 4 km/h. Despite changes in the preferred stride rate, physiological responses and walking economy at a given stride rate used in pre-training were not changed or shifted by the training. |