Outdoor uphill exercise testing for trail runners, a more suitable method?
Article (PDF)
Authors
Isabelle Schoffl, Dominik Jasinski, Benedikt Ehrlich, Sven Dittrich, Volker Schoffl
Abstract
There is extensive knowledge about uphill running on a treadmill, although paucity regarding the influence of uphill trail running on exercise capacity in runners. The purpose of this study was to compare an uphill field test with a treadmill test with 1% inclination especially considering cardiopulmonary exercise variables. The difference in those tests between a group of trail runners and a group of road runners was tested for establishing a test specifically for trail runners. Ten male endurance road runners and ten male trail runners performed one maximal incremental treadmill test with 1% inclination and a maximal incremental field test on a hill at 16% inclination which they were instructed to run up four times for three minutes, each time with a higher pace. A mobile cardiopulmonary exercise testing unit was used to measure ventilation. There were no significant differences between trail runners and road runners. The equivalence factor was comparable between both groups. 𝑉𝑂 was comparable for both test protocols. However, there was a significant difference between the two test protocols regarding lactate concentration, the respiratory exchange ratio, running cost, heart rate, Breathing reserve, and O2pulse. The greater lactate concentration and running cost recorded uphill indicate a higher energy demand during trail running than level road running.
DOI
DOI: 10.2478/hukin-2021-0066
Citation
APA
Schöffl, I., Jasinski, D., Ehrlich, B., Dittrich, S., Schöffl, V. (2021). Outdoor Uphill Exercise Testing for Trail Runners, a More Suitable Method?. Journal of Human Kinetics, 79, 123-133. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0066
Harvard Schöffl, I., Jasinski, D., Ehrlich, B., Dittrich, S., and Schöffl, V. (2021). Outdoor Uphill Exercise Testing for Trail Runners, a More Suitable Method?. Journal of Human Kinetics, 79, pp.123-133. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0066
MLA Schöffl, Isabelle et al. “Outdoor Uphill Exercise Testing for Trail Runners, a More Suitable Method?.” Journal of Human Kinetics, vol. 79, 2021, pp. 123-133. doi:10.2478/hukin-2021-0066.
Vancouver Schöffl I, Jasinski D, Ehrlich B, Dittrich S, Schöffl V. Outdoor Uphill Exercise Testing for Trail Runners, a More Suitable Method?. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2021;79:123-133. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0066
Key words
field running test, running physiology, exercise test protocol, mountain running, outdoor running