Functional translation of exercise responses from graded exercise testing to exercise training.

This study attempts to develop a quantitative approach to the prescription of absolute exercise intensity during level ground ambulation (min/mile) or cycle ergometry (kpm) from responses observed during GXT. A total of 345 subjects performed GXT and exercise training sessions with either the Bruce treadmill protocol and level ground ambulation (N = 154) or cycle ergometry (N = 191). Responses from 90% of each group were used to generate equations for predicting training pace (or power output) from the time (or power output) during the GXT when target HR was achieved. FAI was also included in the prediction of training pace (or power output). The remaining 10% of subjects in each group were used to cross-validate the prediction equations. The correlation between the time (or power output) during GXT when the training HR was observed and the pace of ambulation (or power output) was 0.70 for treadmill walking and 0.88 for cycle-cycle. Correlations were increased by the addition of FAI to the prediction equation. The results of this investigation suggest that the absolute intensity of exercise for training can be predicted accurately from GXT results.

Comparative Training Responses to Rope Skipping and Jogging.

In brief: It has been suggested that ten minutes of rope skipping is equal to 30 minutes of jogging for improved cardiovascular efficiency. This study compared physiological adaptations to six-week programs of jogging and rope skipping. Twenty-six sedentary volunteers (17 women and nine men) aged 18 to 35 years were assigned to a jogging, rope-skipping, or control group. Training frequency was five times per week; each session was 30 minutes for the jogging group and ten minutes for the rope-skipping groups. Significant differences (p <.05) in o2 max were observed in each group. o2 max increased 5.1 ml· kg(-1)· min(-1) for the jogging group (13%) and 2.8 ml· kg(-1)· min(-1) for the rope-skipping group (7%). The rope-skipping group had higher injury and drop-out rates. It was concluded that ten minutes of rope skipping does not elicit a training response comparable to 30 minutes of jogging.