Relationship of maximal aerobic power and muscular strength with the running economy in endurance athletes

• Published in: Revista brasileira de medicina do esporte 2005-02, Vol.11 (1), p.57-60
• Main Authors: Guglielmo, LGA, Greco, C C, Denadai, B S
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• ISSN: 1517-8692

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship of maximal aerobic power and the muscular strength (maximal isotonic strength and vertical jump explosive power) with the running economy (RE) in endurance athletes. Twenty-six male runners (27.9 plus or minus 6.4 years; 62.7 plus or minus 4.3 kg; 168.6 plus or minus 6.1 cm; 6.6 plus or minus 3.1% of body fat) performed in different days the following tests: a) incremental test to determine the maximal oxygen uptake (VO sub(2)max) and the intensity corresponding to the VO sub(2)max (IVO sub(2)max); b) constant-velocity treadmill run to determine RE; c) 1-RM test in the leg press and; d) maximal vertical jump test (VJ). VO sub(2)max (63.8 plus or minus 8.3 ml/kg/min) was significantly correlated (r = 0.63; p < 0.05) with RE (48.0 plus or minus 6.6 ml/kg/min). However, the IVO sub(2)max (18.7 plus or minus 1.1 km/h), the maximal isotonic strength (230.3 plus or minus 41.2 kg) and the VJ (30.8 plus or minus 3.8 cm) were not significantly correlated with RE. One concludes that the maximal aerobic power can explain in part the inter-individual RE variability in endurance athletes. However, maximal isotonic strength and explosive strength seem not to be associated with RE values observed in this group of athletes.