Psychologic characterization of the elite distance runner.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M L Pollock.
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The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of percent fat estimates derived from regression equations with functions of predicting body density (BD), lean body weight (LBW), and total body volume (TBV) from anthropometric variables. BD, LBW, and TBV equations were derived from the data of 95 young, adult men (percent fat X = 13.4%). The multiple correlations for these equations were: BD, 0.86-0.83; LBW, 0.96-0.95; and TBV, 0.99. The zero order correlations between laboratory determined percent fat and percent fat derived by the BD, LBW, and TBV equations ranged from 0.80 to 0.86 with standard errors from 3.1% to 3.7%. This shows that BD, LBW, and TBV equations have similar accuracy when transformed to percent fat. The derived equations were cross validated with three additional, but diverse, samples (percent fat X = 5.1%; 16.7%; 27.1%). The cross validations results revealed that all equations exhibited similar accuracy. With samples differing in percent fat, systematic prediction errors occurred. The results further confirm population specificity of prediction equations.
Eighty-seven male inmates from a state prison and 70 inmates from a county jail volunteered as subjects. The subjects, age 20 to 35 yrs, were assigned randomly into a control or exercise group. Their Vo2max and treadmill performance values were determined before and after a 20 week jogging program. Training intensity was between 85 and 90 percent of maximum heart rate and involved workouts 3 days/week for 15, 30, or 45-min duration at the state prison and for 30-min 1, 3, or 5 days/week at the country jail. Cardiorespiratory fitness improved in direct proportion to frequency and duration of training. Injury, occurred in 22%, 24% and 54% of the 15, 30, and 45-min duration groups and in 0%, 12%, and 39% of the 1, 3, and 5-day/week groups, respectively. Attrition resulting from injury occurred in 0%, 0%, and 17% and in 0%, 4%, and 6% of the same respective groups. Attrition due to lack of interest was similar for all training groups (25%), but was significantly lower in the control groups (10%). Although the results showed a greater increase in cardiorespiratory fitness for the 45-min duration and 5-day/week groups, these programs are not recommened for beginning joggers because of the significantly greater percent of injuries.
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Several studies show significant correlations of blood variables, weight, abnormal electrocardiograms, and blood pressure with the incidence of coronary heart disease, but the quantification of fitness and its correlation with coronary heart disease is more difficult. In this study, approximately 3,000 men, average age of 44.6 years, were examined for blood and lipid profile, pulmonary function, percent body fat determination, and Balke maximal performance treadmill stress testing with multilead ECG monitoring. Five age-adjusted cardiorespiratory fitness categories were determined from treadmill times. A consistent inverse relationship among physical fitness categories and resting heart rate, body weight, percent body fat, serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, glucose, and systolic blood pressure, was observed. Forced vital capacity was directly related to levels of fitness. These results, although cross-sectional, imply that physical fitness is related to lower coronary risk factors.
The purpose of this investigation was to compare the results from four commonly used maximal treadmill stress tests: Balke, Bruce, Ellestad, and a continuous multistage running protocol. The results compared serial and maximal heart rate, metabolic demands, and ECG determinations. Fifty-one healthy men, 35 to 55 years of age, volunteered for this study and were dichotomized into trained and untrained subjects. Regression analyses showed all the tests to correlate highly. No significant differences were found between tests at maximum for V02, heart rate, and blood pressure, except for V02 for the Balke as compared to the running protocol (39 vs. 41 ml./Kg-min). The Balke protocol showed lower values at maximum in VE and RP than the other three tests as well as the most gradual rate of progression in MET cost (0.5 METS per minute). The increase for the Bruce and Ellestad tests was from 1 to 1.5 METS per minute, and a rapid initial increase (9 METS in the first 3 minutes) made the running test undesirable as a screening method. Although serial plots of heart rate and MET costs were similar to those previously reported for different population samples, the present data further refined these values. Finally, a nomograph comparing treadmill time and V02, max. for the Balke, Bruce, and Ellestad tests was developed from these data.
A study was made of the effects of training for 30 minutes, three days a week for 20 weeks on certain physiologic measures of sedentary men between 49 and 65 years of age. Twenty-two subjects volunteered for the experimental group, and 8 others for the control group. Exercise sessions were conducted on a quarter-mile track and consisted of continuous bouts of walking and jogging. The average daily energy expenditures progressed from 228 to 365 kilocalories between weeks 4 and 20. For the same period, average exercise heart rates (HRs) progressed from 149 beats/minute (83 per cent maximum HR) to 155 beats/minute (91 per cent maximum HR). The experimental group showed significant increases in maximum oxygen intake (VO2 max) from 2.47 to 2.90 liters/minute (18 per cent) and in maximum pulmonary ventilation (VE max) from 105 to 121 liters/minute (BTPS), and decreases in resting HR, diastolic blood pressure, body weight, skinfold fat, and abdominal girth. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels and heart volume remained unchanged. The control subjects showed no significant changes. Regression analysis, with use of age as a covariate, showed a small but significant inverse relationship with changes in VO2 max. It was concluded that men of the 49-65 age group respond favorably to endurance exercise and show a magnitude of change similar to that found in previous investigations of similar design with younger subjects.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physiological functions of a professional soccer team in the North American Soccer League (NASL). Eighteen players were evaluated on cardiorespiratory function, endurance performance, body composition, blood chemistry, and motor fitness measures near the end of their competitive season. The following means were observed: age, 26 yrs; height, 176 cm; weight 75.5 kg; resting heart rate, 50 beats/min; maximum heart rate (MHR), 188 beats/min; maximum oxygen intake (VO2 max), 58.4 ml/kg-min-1; maximum ventilation (VEmax BTPS), 154 L/min; body fat, 9.59%; 12-min run, 1.86 miles; and Illinois agility run, 15.6 secs. Results on resting blood pressure, serum lipids, vital capacity, flexibility, upper body strength, and vertical jump tests were comparable to values found for the sedentary population. Comparing the results with previously collected data on professional American Football backs indicated that the soccer players were shorter; lighter in body weight; higher in VO2 max (4 ml/kg-min-1) and body fat (1.8%); and similar in MHR, VE max, and VC. The 12-min run scores were similar to the initial values observed for the 1970 Brazilian World Cup Team. The agility run results were superior to data collected from other groups. Their endurance capabilities, agility, and low percent of body fat clearly differentiate them from the sedentary population and show them to be similar to that of professional American football backs.
The purpose of this investigation was to predict body density of young (18-22 yr) and middle-aged (40-55 yr) men and to determine if generalized equations were appropriate to both populations. The dependent variable, body density, was determined by the hydrostatic technique. Independent variables included 7 skinfold fat, 11 girth, and 7 diameter measures; age; height; and weight. Mean body density for young men was 1.068 g/ml (SD +/- 0.014) and percent fat, 13.4 (SD +/- 6.0); the values for middle-aged subjects were 1.043 g/ml (SD +/- 0.0130) and 24.7% (SD +/- 5.9). Incomplete principal components analysis was used to examine the dimensions measured by the independent variables, and these analyses revealed differences between samples. Using multiple regression analysis, with the exception of girth measurements, the slopes of the regression lines were equal. For all analyses, however, the intercepts were different. These results confirmed the need for different regression equations for these populations. The most accurate prediction for young men was with two skinfold, four girth, and two diameter measures (R = 0.88; SE = 0.0069 g/ml); two skinfold and three girth measures accurately predicted body density for middle-aged men (R = 0.84; SE = 0.0074 g/ml).
This study was designed to identify the body composition factors measured by skinfold fat (S), girth (G), and diameter (D) variables and to provide multivariate scaling models that measure fat (F) and lean body weight (LBW) factors. A total of 7S, 11G, and 7D measurements were determined on 83 young women (YW) and 95 young men (YM). Body density (BD) was determined by the hydrostatic technique. All variables were factor analyzed, and F and LBW were used to validate isolated factors. The YM data showed one F factor and two LBW factors. LBW factor I measured muscle mass and bone structure; LBW factor II, bone D. The YW data isolated four factors: the same three of YM plus a second F factor specific to the pelvic girdle. Factor score models were used to develop scaling strategies to measure F and LBW factors. Full models of all 27 variables and restricted models of 14 S, G, and D variables were developed; the correlations between factor scores scaled from the full and restricted models ranged from 0.84 to 0.98. The multiple correlation between factor scores calculated from the restricted models and laboratory-determined F and LBW ranged from 0.90 to 0.94 for YM and from 0.88 to 0.89 for YW. The multivariate scaling models provide a valid field method of measuring body composition.
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Muscle biopsies were obtained from the gastrocnemius of 14 elite distance runners, 18 middle distance runners, and 19 untrained men. The middle distance runners were all highly trained, but had significantly slower performance times than the elite runners at distances greater than 3 miles. Fiber composition and mean cross-sectional areas were determined from muscle sections incubated for histochemical activity. A portion of the specimen was used to determine succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LD/Y and phosphorylase activities. All subjects were tested for maximal oxygen uptake on a treadmill. As previously demonstrated by others, the elite runners' muscles were characterized by a high percentage (79%) of slow twitch (ST) fibers. On the average, the crosssectional area of their ST fibers was found to be 22% larger than the FT fibers (P less than 0.05). SDH activity of whole muscle homogenates from elicte and middle distance runners was 3.4- and 2.8- fold greater, respectively, than that measured in the untrained men. Since the LDH and phosphorylase activities were similar for the runners and untrained men, it appears that training for distance running has little influence on the enzymes of glycogenolysis.
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The purpose of this investigation was to predict body density of young and middle-aged women and to determine if the use of a greater variety of variables, particularly those for fat in the bust and hip regions, increases the predictability of body density. Body density determined by the hydrostatic technique (dependent variable) was obtained from 83 volunteer young women and 60 middle-aged women ranging from 18 to 22 and 33 to 50 yr of age, respectively. Independent variables included 8 skinfold, 13 girth, and 7 diameter measures; age; height; weight; and bra and cup sizes. Mean body density for young women was 1.043 g/ml (SD plus or minus 0.014) and percent fat, 24.8 (SD plus or minus 6.4); 1.031 g/ml (SD plus or minus 0.015) and 29.8% (SD plus or minus 6.7) for middle aged subjects. Percent fat was calculated by the formula of Siri. Factor analysis was used to examine the dimensions measured by the independent variables as a function of age. A multiple regression model was used to develop predictions of body density from the independent variables. The best combination of four variables for predicting body density was skinfold thigh, skinfold suprailiac, cup size, skinfold suprailiac, girth waist, and skinfold thigh (R = 0.89) for middle-aged women. The data showed that the highest predictons were found by using combinations of skinfold, girth, and diameter variables; cup size also supported the need for different regression equations for different age groups.
Frequency, duration and intensity of training have been shown to be important determinants for improving various physiological functions. This report represents a series of six training investigations conducted by the investigators over the past seven years. Within the six investigations ten separate groups were studied. These data were combined and tabulated to look at frequency of training as a determinant for improving cardiovascular function and body composition of middle-aged men. The subjects included 148 healthy, sedentary, volunteer men ranging from 28 to 64 years of age (x equal to 41). The experiments were carefully controlled and included running 30 to 45 minutes for two (four groups), three (three groups) or four (three groups) days each week for 20 weeks. The results show that all frequencies had a significant effect on cardiovascular function, but only three and four days/week regimens showed reduction in total body weight and fat. Changes in maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) were similar for two and three days/week programs, and significantly greater for four days. The data support the notion of frequency of training being an important criterion for improving cardiovascular function and body composition.
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the comparative effects on middle-aged men of training by running, walking, and bicycling. Sedentary men (X age = 38 yrs), who volunteered to participate, were assigned randomly to one of the following training groups: I, running (n = 9); II, walking (n = 9); and III, bicycling (n = 8). All groups trained for 30 min, 3 times/week for 20 weeks at 85 to 90% of maximal heart rate. A control group of seven men of similar qualifications also were evaluated. Training heart rates averaged 90%, 87%, and 87% of maximum for groups I, II, and III, respectively. All experimental groups improved significantly in cardiovascular and body composition measures. The former was shown by significant increases in Vo2max, VEmax, and O2 pulse and a significant decrease in resting heart rate. Body composition results showed that the experimental groups had a significant reduction in body weight, skinfold fat, and abdominal girth measurements. The control group showed no significant changes for any of the variables. It was concluded that improvement in the experimental groups was independent of mode of training.
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