Influence of Load Carriage on High-Intensity Running Performance Estimation
Aaron A Solomonson1, Nathan D Dicks, Whitney J Kerr
1Viola Holbrook Human Performance Laboratory, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
|October 1, 2015
Summary
Load carriage significantly reduces critical speed (CS) in tactical athletes. A new formula allows calculation of adjusted CS from unloaded tests, enabling optimized high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for improved performance.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Load carriage is an essential task for tactical athletes, impacting performance.
- Critical Speed (CS) and finite running capacity (D') are key physiological concepts for prescribing endurance training.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be prescribed using CS and time limits (TLIMs) derived from a 3-minute maximal test (3MT).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of standard load carriage on CS and D' in trained athletes.
- To develop a method for adjusting CS based on load carriage for training prescription.
- To enable more efficient HIIT programming for tactical athletes.
Main Methods:
- Trained subjects completed both loaded (18.86 kg) and unloaded 3-minute maximal tests (3MT).
- CS and D' were calculated from the 3MT results under both conditions.
- Correlation between % load carriage relative to body mass and CS decline was analyzed.
Main Results:
- Loaded condition significantly reduced CS by 0.66 m·s (p < 0.01).
- D' showed a nonsignificant increase (p = 0.07).
- A strong negative correlation (r = 0.83, p < 0.01) was found between % load carriage and CS decline, leading to a revised CS formula.
Conclusions:
- Load carriage substantially impairs running performance, specifically reducing CS.
- A revised CS formula, adjusted for load carriage, can be calculated from unloaded 3MT data.
- This revised CS allows for accurate HIIT prescription (TLIMs) for tactical athletes, optimizing training efficiency.
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