The effect of uphill stride manipulation on race walking gait

Stride length analysis represents an easy method for assessing race walking kinematics. However, the stride parameters emerging from such an analysis have never been used to design a training protocol aimed at increasing stride length. With this aim, we investigated the effects of stride frequency manipulation during three weeks of uphill (2%) training on stride length at iso-efficiency speed. Twelve male race walkers were randomly allocated to one of two training groups: stride frequency manipulation (RWM, n=6) and free stride frequency (RWF, n=6).

Kinematic parameters measured before and after the 3-week training in RWM showed increased stride length (4.54%; p<0.0001) and contact time (4.58%; p<0.001); inversely, a decreased stride frequency (4.44%; p<0.0001) and internal work (7.09%; p<0.05) were found. In RWF the effect of the training showed a decrease in stride length (1.18%; p<0.0001) and contact time (<1%; p<0.0001) with respect to baseline conditions and an increased stride frequency and internal work of 1.19% (p<0.0001). These results suggest that using slopes (2%) as RWM could help coaches to provide some training methods that would improve an athlete's performance, through increasing stride length without altering his or her race walking technique or metabolic demands.