Effects of step frequency alteration on oxygen uptake during fixed speed walking
1995 Volume 15 Issue 2 Pages 109-118
Details
1995 Volume 15 Issue 2 Pages 109-118
The purpose of this study was to obtain fundamental data on walking to maintain and/or improvement for aerobic work capacity. In order to accomplish the purpose, this study was investigated for the effects of step frequency (SF) alteration on oxygen uptake (VO2) during fixed speed walking and to compare males with females on this point. Ten male and eight female university students participated in this study as subjects. The subjects walked on a treadmill at four different speeds, i.e. 60, 80, 100 and 120m/min, and they performed five 6min altered SF walkings at each speed. The five trials involved walking with a freely chosen step frequency (FCSF) and a FCSF altered by +10%, +20%, -10% and -20%, However, females did not walk with the -20% SF at 120m/min.
The main results obtained were as follows.
1) Of all the SF conditions mean ΔVO2% was the highest with the -20% SF walking at each speed for both males and females. Furthermore, the relationship of SF condition to mean ΔVO2% of males and females indicated U-shaped curves at each speed.
2) Although there were some differences in the relation of SF conditions to mean ΔVO2% among the four speeds, there were no significant differences in mean ΔVO2% between males and females at each speed.
3) The mean VO2(ml/kg·100 steps) with -20% SF walking was the highest at each speed and then it decreased gradually as the SF increased for both males and females.
4) The results of this study suggest that walking with a longer step length is recommended in order to maintain and/or improve aerobic work capacity at a speed in excess of 100m/min for males and 80m/min for females.
